Earthfall
by 39addict101
Summary: The earth is struck with a famine and the inhabitants of the earth struggle to find enough food to stay alive. Ian approaches the Cahills, begging them to help him. The truth, the secrets, the lies they uncover unnerve them all.
1. Chapter 1

**Hello. This is me again, and I wanted to try writing an AU story. First off, I was reading Day of Doom when the idea for this hit me. Then I was reading Shadow Children (by Haddix) and I got more ideas.**

 **I guess you could call this a crossover, but didn't want to write something for Shadow Children that much, so I did it here.**

 **Tell me what you think?**

 _ **(Edit: 9/19/2017 So...I'm completely rewriting this, and I also totally realize that that date is not when I updated...but, that's when I started.**_

 _ **Um, yeah, have you ever looked back at something you wrote a while ago and been like, "OMG! I thought this was good?" That's me. So...yeah...anyway, its going to be a lot different, so I would recommend reading the whole thing again, and not just skipping to chapter 13**_

 _ **Edit again, 4/12/2018: I finally finished. And, I guess . . . you have to read all of it, and not just skip to chapter 13, because if you don't, you're going to be in for a huge surprise come chapter 100 or so. Just kidding. This will never have chapter 100 and I'm not**_ **that _longwinded, lol_ ) **

* * *

Amy Cahill hadn't known what true hunger was until the famines hit. Sure, she'd gone hungry before. Everyone had accidentally skipped a meal, or forgotten to eat for a while. But this hunger was different, it was a gnawing ache, that grew and consumed your mind until all you could think about was food. It was beyond hunger, it was starvation.

It had all begun with a worldwide drought. Everyone had been astonished that such a thing would happen. Who had heard of a worldwide drought? Nationwide was rare. Worldwide, impossible. But still it happened.

There was not a drop of rain anywhere. The sun seemed to be dimmer, even near the equator, and the stunted crops cried out silently for warmth. For the sunlight was nothing more than a weak lightbulb in the sky. It could easily be compared to a harsh winter without snow. Nothing outside would grow. Greenhouses were utilized everywhere, trying to use every drop of solar energy that entered the atmosphere. But before long, clouds began to cover the sunless sky and these too were useless.

With the sighting of the clouds, people had assumed it meant rain but as the angsty sky began the norm everywhere, hopes were smashed as easily as rotten apple by a car. Yet people remained optimistic. They had food left over from last season, the government had secret stashes, and they were issued rations cards. And plus, the drought couldn't last forever...it would be over soon. Or so they thought.

But still, even with these high hopes in their hearts, the prices on food increased dramatically. As the reserves were quickly depleted by the huge population, former enemy countries began to ally with each other in an attempt to keep humanity alive.

A can of beef, a true luxury, was rumored to have been sold to an Ian Kabra for an entire grand. When she had heard, Amy had laughed, saying to Dan, "Look at Ian. He's probably horrified that he has to eat common food now."

Livestock were butchered, for who wanted to keep feeding their cow when they could eat it and its food? People put their pets down and, if they were hungry enough, ate their food, and in more desperate, hopeless areas, the corpse of the animal itself.

As the months passed by, violence over food erupted more and more often. People finally seemed to realize that this was not something to shrug off. And in third world countries, conditions were deplorable. Humans began to resort to animalistic methods to fill their mouths. They stole and murdered for a hunk of shriveled bread.

* * *

Even then, throughout all this, some people still had high hopes for the next season. When the clouds had finally dropped their watery burden the next March, people had rejoiced. It was logical that after the rain was done, the sun would come out, right? But when it continued to rain for the entire months of March, April, May June, and July, people's hopes had dramatically dropped. Nothing grew. After all, what could grow in an underwater world besides algae and destruction?

The clouds continued dumping their gallons of water, and lands became quickly flooded. In some lucky areas, the rain was nothing more than a depressing drizzle, but most places weren't as lucky. Winds began to rise, stirring the waters of the sea, tempests were born. These tempests became hurricanes, which wiped out the entire southern hemisphere. No one could live in those regions. Immigrants poured into the northern U.S. and Europe. The crowded conditions made food even more scarce and criminal activity spiked. Murder was a daily occurrence, and cannibalism was not unheard of. The rest of the world become flooded, like one large ocean, with highlands being large sandbars in the middle of a vast, raging sea.

People got around on boats, and places that rented out boats for sea travel in the past were considered as inherently risk, as cars were less than useless. They wer underwater. Fish thrived, but were quickly depleted as they were the only food source that could be eaten without a twinge of guilt, or spilled blood.

* * *

The patter of raindrops on the roof caused Amy to turn her chair and stare out at the soggy world. The winds were harsh today, and the waves beating against their front door were large and strong, as if determined to beat down the mansion.

The green manicured lawns, and the beautiful orchards and the lush forests of the Cahill mansion were gone. First destroyed by the lack of sun, and now they were all but underwater. Thankfully the mansion (or what was left of it) was on top of a large hill, or otherwise, Amy and Dan would be homeless, just like so many other unfortunate souls.

Running a hand through her stringy red-brown hair, she couldn't help but notice that there was a small motorboat coming towards her house. Weakly, she wondered who would have enough fuel to come all the way here, as there was nothing left.

Rising from her chair and leaning against the wall for support, she padded towards the door and opened it. The angry winds lashed out at her, biting her, stinging her face. Her small body shivered at the impact, and she quickly relented, and shut the door, forcing it to close, shoving the strong winds out of her house.

She was so small. Weighing only seventy-five pounds was not a good thing for an eighteen-year old girl. But she was the least of her worries. Her thoughts were always on her brother. Dan was barely eighty pounds, which was more than small for a fifteen-year old male. She feared for him, and would do anything, even sacrifice herself, if she knew that this famine would stop, and her brother would survive.

Walking back towards the window, she gasped in surprise as she noticed that the boat was tied securely to her front porch. _Looters._ She thought. "I don't have anything." She said, determined not to open the door.

"Amy! Open the door this minute before I get swept off this porch."

 _Huh._ That voice was oddly familiar. Shrugging aside her suspicion for a moment, she opened the door and looked up into the face of Ian Kabra.

Ian was a business man, who was distantly related to them, linked through the destiny of the Cahill family.

"Hello, Ian." Amy said, swallowing. He was quite handsome, even though he too had lost weight, and it made her stomach churn to look at him.

"Hullo, Amy. I've come to ask you and your brother's help."

Amy arched her eyebrows in suspicion. "With what?" She asked, before she realized that Ian was still standing out on the porch, and the wind was whipping wildly into the house. "Come in, and get out of the cold." She said, shutting the door securely behind him.

Rubbing his arms as if to try and keep from shivering, Ian stepped inside. He gasped with his first glance at the room. The floor was riddled with holes where water had eaten away at the wood, as it had so many other places. The blankets wound up in a ball on the couch from where Amy had slept last night, trying to keep herself warm. The kitchen door was hanging on its hinges, and the carpet was filthy.

Ian looked at Amy, and inhaled sharply, as if clearly seeing her for the first time. She was more than skinny. Her ribs showed through the sweatshirt she wore, and her hands trembled if she didn't stick them securely in her pocket. Her eyes were gaunt, hollow, and her cheekbones showed clearly. "When was the last time you've eaten?" He asked gently.

Amy turned away from him, avoiding his piercing gaze, and looked out the window, her hands gripping each other securely in her sweatshirt pocket. "I don't know."

Ian's eyes narrowed. "Yes, you do know." He accused, glaring at her.

Amy looked up at Ian, and then quickly glanced down, his gaze boring into hers. "What day is it today?"

"Monday, the fifth." Ian replied.

Amy paused. "Last Sunday." She answered.

Ian's eyes widened. Reaching into his coat pocket, he dug around for a while, and then produced a granola bar. "Sorry." He apologized. "Its homemade."

Amy's eyes were wide, and her hands reached for it on their own accord. Then she stopped, and yanked them back. "But...Dan."

Ian sighed. "You. Will. Eat. This. I have more, and I'll give one to your brother, but only if you eat this."

Amy nodded, snatched the granola bar, and peeled off the plastic wrapping. "Raisins!" She gasped. "How'd you get them?"

Ian frowned. "My own private indoor, uphill greenhouse."

"Oh." Amy said, taking a bite of the oats and raisins. Never had a simple homemade granola bar tasted so good. Just as she was about to finish, she stopped, and wrapped the rest of it up. "Where's Dan?" She asked.

"I don't know." Ian shrugged, and glanced at her. "Its your house, not mine."

Amy sighed. "Could you call him for me? My voice isn't strong enough."

Ian looked at her, concern written on his face. "Goodness." He gasped. "Daniel!" He yelled. No response. "Dan Cahill, get your ass over here!"

Dan emerged from the kitchen. He too leaned on the wall for support. Ian looked quite concerned when he saw him, and Amy knew exactly why.

He was losing weight rapidly. He needed more nutrition than what he was getting. He should be tall, and muscular. But Dan barely looked ten.

"What are you doing here?" He said, his voice deep for one so small. It was probably the only thing that could mature with his diet.

Amy looked at Ian. "Now that I think about it...I don't even know."

Ian nodded. "I didn't ever get around to telling you did I?" He rummaged around in his pocket, pulled out a phone, and handed Dan a granola bar.

Dan's mouth went wide, and he tore it open with the zeal of someone who has been starving.

"There has been a plot uncovered. Some rebel Cahills who have been banished from their branches are trying to...mess up some heavenly bodies."

Dan was picking out all the raisins, and shoving them into his mouth, his hands moving at the speed of a cheetah's feet.

"They are planning to explode Mars, and the force of it will dispel earth out of orbit, causing it to hit the moon." Ian paused, and then began again. "The position of the planets will have to be very precise. I'll show you more later...but for now, all you need to know is that it doesn't happen very often. So if we can stop them, then we'll be good."

Dan pulled off a piece of the bar and shoved it in his mouth. Amy arched her eyebrows and mouthed, "Chew. Slowly." Dan glared at her, but slowed his pace down.

"Izdereanywaystoshopit?" Dan asked, his mouth full of granola.

"What?" Ian asked. "Speak English."

Dan swallowed. "Is there anyway to stop it?"

Ian nodded. "Of course. There's always a way. Catch the rebel Cahills, and stop their plot."

Amy frowned, and then she sank down into her chair. "But...why?"

Ian rolled his eyes. "The stupidity of some of these people astounds me. They're threatening the earth, and all of its occupants, and they think that because of this they're going to be welcomed back with open arms?"

"So..." Amy paused, her eyes looking out at the sea of water. "You're saying that we have to stop them?"

Dan frowned. "But what about the famine? All of us will die out before we even get anywhere."

Ian sighed. "I don't know. I'm not sure why the famines are happening. We just have to be smarter about it." Then he smiled. " _I_ built a tower. But...this tower's base is able to withstand water, and the tower will be able to withstand high winds. But on this tower, I'm working on placing greenhouses."

Dan frowned again, and took another bite. "Dere's no sun!" He said, around a large mouthful.

Ian rolled his eyes. "Yes, there is! Don't you know anything? The clouds just block it, so it doesn't look like there's anything."

Amy nodded. "He's right, Dan."

Ian broke in. "Everything should be back to...near normal by next year...we'll figure out something to do with the water. Heck, people have been dying of thirst, we just have to figure out a way to store it and clean it, and we could solve world problems. That is, if we survive." His face took on a grim look, and he looked Amy in the eyes.

"Will you help me?"

* * *

 **Was it good? Bad? Awful? Amazing? Should I even bother to continue? Should I delete this story? Please tell me!**

 **Review guys. Thanks so much for reading this!**

 _ **(Edit: So...yeah, obviously this is going to be so much different. So...stick with me here. Thanks guys!)**_


	2. Chapter 2

**Hey guys! Thanks for reading this! Thanks to StarCrossedLovers1001 and I'mNotAGoodWriter for reading AND REVIEWING!**

 **I really, really appreciated that.**

 **Ok, anyways, here's chapter two. Please tell me what you think...in a review!**

 _ **(Edit: 9/20/2017- So...I guess I have to fix this too...yay. Not. Thanks for reading. And also, StarCrossedLovers1001 is now 39CluesFan-Star...so...just to clear anything up. )**_

* * *

Amy turned away from Ian. His offer sickened her. She had had enough of rogue Cahills in her lifetime, and now she was so weak . . .

She stared out the window, at the water that now lapped calmly against the base of her house. The wind had died down, and tiny drops of rain fell from a dark sky.

If only the sun would come out . . . Her stomach growled. The granola bar was long forgotten. Evidently her stomach had become bored, and, receiving something to digest, had quickly sapped all the nutrients from the tiny hunk of food.

A twinge of guilt ran through her. She should have given it to Dan. His eyes were dull and glassy, mere remnants of the bright-eyed, vivid jade green they'd been. She didn't care about herself. She just wanted Dan to live.

It scared her, the thought of him dying, and leaving her all alone. She'd caught him staring at the pill cabinets, and at the knives in the kitchen. She knew he was having suicidal thoughts, and she was right there with him, but . . . she couldn't leave Dan.

If . . . when Dan died, or killed himself, she would be right behind him. There was nothing to do. You certainly can't find something useful to do, to drown the grief, unless sitting around underwater counted.

There was no purpose for living.

Except . . . there was. If they helped Ian with this . . . problem, perhaps it would cheer them up, and perhaps it would give them something to do.

Nodding, she turned away from the ugly view her window offered, and looked at Ian. He was staring at her, as if unsure of her choice.

"We'll go." Her voice was calm, not showing any of the emotion she felt. She turned to Dan. "Dan!" Her voice was false, cheery. "We're going to help Ian with a little problem. You ready, buddy?"

Dan whirled on her. (How he had the energy, Amy had no clue). "You don't have to act as though I'm two. I heard what Ian said. I was going to go with him even if my bossy big sister said I couldn't." His eyes were full of venom, and he looked more alive than he'd been in days.

Amy sighed. "I'm sorry, Dan. Go get your clothes. Pack warmly!"

Dan rolled his eyes. "Yes, boss." Then, under his breath, he murmured, "Like anything fits anymore . . ."

He turned quickly away from Amy, wobbled, caught himself, and walked towards the room where he had moved most of his stuff on that fateful day when he'd realized he was too weak to go upstairs all the time. It had taken some time, but Amy had helped him, and now they both had their stuff downstairs, along with some upstairs, in case of excessive flooding.

Amy sank down on the couch. "I'm so worried about him." She hoped Dan was out of earshot.

Ian nodded. "I can see why. I'm worried about you, too, Amy." His eyes were soft. He cleared his throat, as though realizing he had just said something nice to her.

The silence in the room dragged on, and Amy coughed. "I'd better go get my stuff." She quickly stood up, and toppled right back over. A blue-black haze settled over her eyes, and her brain went fuzzy.

"Ian!" Amy cried, just as she felt strong arms encircle her waist.

"You need to eat more food." Ian murmured in her ear.

Amy nodded, shrugging out his arms. "I know." She walked slowly, but steadily, away, hoping Ian wasn't noticing how every step was calculated, and how to large of steps made her swoon.

Avoiding the large holes, and the soggy parts of the floor, Amy picked her way to her room, which was really more of a large walk-in closet.

They had used it in better days, when they had enough money to invite people over to eat with them, and to throw birthday parties and the like. Now Amy used it for her room. It was slightly higher than the rest of the ground floor, so the water had not yet reached it. It was also cozy enough for her liking.

Opening the door, she stepped inside, picked up a duffel off the floor, and stepped towards her pile of clothes.

Throwing in her warmest sweaters, and a couple pairs of jeans, along with other essentials, she took one last look at her room, and shut the door.

Then she opened it again and grabbed her raincoat off a hook behind her door.

The bag was terribly heavy. It dragged at her shoulders; the muscles in her legs protested with each step.

Ian quickly came to her aid, and shouldered the bag. "Grab those blankets." He commanded, the usual authority back in his voice. "We might need them. While you're at it grab any food that you have anywhere."

Amy gulped. "Ok." Walking towards the couch, she picked up one blanket, and hurriedly folded it. "Ian?"  
He was by the door, ready to open it and face the freezing rain. He turned his face towards her. "Yes?"

"I-we-I mean, Ian," She took a breath, trying to figure out the best way to say it. She decided on the most blunt way and said, "We're all out of food."

"Oh." His voice was calm, and he turned away. Then he turned right back around and stared at her. "All out? You don't have even a crumb left?"

Amy nodded. "Yes. Its all gone. Everything."

Ian's mouth fell open. His eyes were wide with a concern that Amy didn't know he possessed. Then, with his usual cocky air, he turned around and said, "Good thing I came when I did."

Amy wasn't going to argue with him. It was true. If he hadn't come, Amy probably wouldn't be here tomorrow. She nodded. "Thank you, Ian."

Ian nodded, his eyes refusing to meet hers, as if he was surprised that she had acknowledged him. "Let's go." He announced, grabbing Dan's elbow, and yanking him out into the storm.

Dan's long blonde hair whipped around in the wind, but his eyes remained as dull as normal. He walked with all the speed and grace of a zombie, tilting and stumbling with every other step. Ian's steady gait seemed to reassure Dan, and Amy realized Dan was placing all of his eighty pounds on Ian. Not that it was much, but it didn't help her to know that Dan couldn't walk without leaning on something, or someone.

She was suddenly jealously angry. Ian was rich, and because of that he had the money to buy food. The poor people of the world had to scrounge, while the rich bought everything out of their skeletal hands. It wasn't fair. The rich were always one step ahead of the poor, and if famine struck, the poor were always the one who suffered the blunt of the punishment.

She felt an arm encircle her. Ian grabbed her elbow, just as he had Dan, and forcefully pulled her out into the storm.

"Ian!" The wind was a monster. It clawed at her, threatening to tear her off the porch and fling her into the angry waters. Her legs refused to hold her weight, and she felt herself sinking to her knees. Ian quickly grabbed her, encircling her with his strong arms. "You're so bloody light!" He exclaimed.

Amy didn't have the strenght to reply. He placed her gently in the boat, and she sank down against the bench, her face wet with rain . . . and tears.

They had come so far. They had once both been strong athletes, able to hold their own even against masters of the arts.

 _Now look at us._ They were far from their original condition, even before the unfinished clue hunt had strengthened them.

That was the other thing. The Kabras were still their rivals, they still didn't know their branch, and the happy days of Korea were far off.

The clue hunt would still be ongoing, had the famines not come.

Amy still remembered the day when she had realized they couldn't go on. The heat had been intense, and Dan's asthma had kicked in so bad he'd been taken to a nearby hospital.

Amy had promised Dan that after the famine was over, they would resume the hunt.

Soon after, their grandmother's lawyer had approached them and told them about $2 million that had been reserved for them.

They had rebuilt the mansion, and somehow managed to scrounge up enough food to last them more than a year. They had easily survived the first drought. And when it had begun to rain, they had tried to pick up the hunt again.

But searching for clues underwater was hardly fun. Amy didn't know if they would survive, and if they did, she wasn't even sure if the clues would survive.

oO0Oo

As Ian started up the boat, he stared at Amy, who was hunched over, cuddled down in her coat, trying to conserve as much body heat as possible.

He felt sorry for them, even though they were still his rivals in the forgotten race for the clues. Pity. It wasn't an emotion he felt often, but when he stared at the Cahills, who were now huddled together like two wet kittens, he certainly did feel it.

The boat flew across the waves, spraying up water at the three of them. Out of the corner of his eye, Ian saw Dan laugh and nudge Amy like a child.

 _They really are depressed._ Ian thought. _And hungry._

He hated to compare Amy to an anorexic, but she looked like one. Her skin was stretched over bone, and her eyes were dull and lifeless.

Anorexics will freeze to death in the winter, even with the heat on. Ian knew that the two Cahills were no better. It wasn't that they were starving themselves on purpose, they just didn't have food to eat. They could easily freeze anytime, especially if left out in the cold for too long.

He remembered stories he'd heard about anerexics having to point hair dryers at themselves, while cuddled under mounds of blankets, just to stay warm.

He felt the chill of the wind break through him. Ian increased the speed of the boat.

Dan wobbled dangerously close to the edge as Ian hit the throttle and Amy reached out for him desperately, barely saving him from a trip into the icy waters. Her arms shook from the effort.

Ian shook his head. Before they began to figure out this mystery, they'd have to gain some strength.

oO0Oo

Amy noticed the ease in which Ian handled the tiny skiff, sending it flying over the waves. The boat rocked dangerously with each wave it hit, but Ian managed to keep the boat from spiraling out of control.

She couldn't help but wonder how he managed to stay on his feet so long. Obviously, he had more food than they did.

Ian maneuvered the boat towards a tiny airplane that floated on the water, rocking with the waves. The giant floatation bouys that kept the plane on the water looked small and insignificant, but Amy knew that without them the plane would sink into the black water beneath it.

Dan stared with wide eyes at the plane, his mouth open in shock. "How rich are you?" He blurted.

Ian laughed. "Somewhat richer than you, Daniel." He ran a hand through his raven black hair and then tied the boat to a post that stuck up out of the water.

It was depressing, that one tiny post, lost in a world of water and death. It had probably been forgotten long ago, a wooden fence post left by itself. Yet Ian had found it, and had made good use of it.

Amy smiled to herself. Ian would never have done that during the clue hunt. Tying his boat to some forgotten fence tier was beneath him. He had changed, even if he didn't show it.

Ian's voice interrupted her thoughts. "Will you open the bloody door?" He yelled up at the plane. _Natalie._  
Amy realized. _She's still alive too. Marvelous._

oO0Oo

The plane was old. It had obviously seen better days, as demonstrated by the ripped leather and the glass on the floor.

There was loud slap on the leather of the seat next to her. Amy jumped and twisted her torso over to see Natalie sitting next to her, drumming her neatly manicured nails on the torn leather of her chair.

"Ian was talking." Natalie said. "To you."

Amy grinned sheepishly and glanced up to find Ian staring down at her. "Ian." She croaked. "I'm sorry."

"I was just saying that our plane could take off in water." Ian said.

Amy arched an eyebrow. "So? Isn't it obvious? There's no where dry enough to land."

Natalie shooed Ian away with a cool flip of her delicate hand. "He's still not over Korea. He just wants to get the conversation going so he can apologize. It's really quite dumb if you ask me."

Amy swallowed. _Lovely._ No, not lovely. She didn't think about that word. Ever. It was off limits. "So." She said. "Why didn't you come to get us too?"

Natalie snorted. "Are you kidding? This wind would dry out my hair. And nowadays its awfully hard to find coconut shampoo."

Amy blanched. "You use coconut in your shampoo?"

Natalie blinked. "Yes. Don't you?"

Amy closed her eyes slowly and counted to ten. "I don't have money for shampoo."

Natalie's eyes widened. She grabbed her luxurious hip-length black hair with both hands and pulled it close to her body. "You mean . . . you might have lice? And dandruff?"

Amy closed her eyes again but this time she counted to twenty. "Yes, Natalie. I probably have dandruff. But that's the least of my worries." _Worries . . . Dan._ "Where's Dan?" She asked, pivoting her head, her gaze scanning the plane.

Natalie was still shrinking away as far from Amy as she could go, fistfuls of her ebony hair in her hands. "I don't know. Probably scarfing down the broth that Ian gave him."

"Broth? He's eating?" The wave of relief that washed over Amy was very similar to taking a hot shower after a long bike ride.

"Of course." Natalie sniffed. "Unlike you, we have money for food. And shampoo."

Amy rolled her eyes. "Knock it off, will you?"

"Knock what off?" Ian asked.

Amy glanced up to see Ian holding a bowl of something that smelled like chicken. He set the bowl of broth down in front of Amy, who picked the spoon up slowly, trying not to appear too eager.

"Nothing." Amy said, while at the same time Natalie squeaked, "She doesn't use shampoo!"

Amy felt a blush run over her cheeks. "I don't have money for shampoo, Natalie, you make it sound like I don't want to use shampoo. I would use it if I had it."

Ian smiled. "It's ok. We have shampoo." He paused, looking quizically at Natalie. "And, Natalie? Why are you holding fistfuls of your hair?"

oO0Oo

The soup really was heavenly. It was full of seasoning and it was warm, which was heaven to Amy, who hadn't had salt on her meals for several months. The stores had run out of that quickly.

Amy sat between Ian and Dan while they flew, Natalie having quarentined herself to the other seat, in case of "those bug things that live in people's hair".

"So." Natalie said. "We have to stop these rogue Cahills."

Amy nodded. "I know. Ian told us."

Ian nodded. "We need to do some research, some asking around first." He paused, looking at Amy. "You do the research?"

Amy nodded. "Sure."

"Good." Ian said. "Because, no offense, Cahills aren't exactly going to be answering your questions anytime soon."

"Yeah." Natalie chimed. "Unless you would just tell everyone what your branch is."

Amy frowned, suddenly feeling defensive. "We don't know, ok?"

Ian held up a hand. "It doesn't matter." He turned to Amy. "You and your brother have proved your worth as researchers during the clue hunt."

Amy nodded. "Dan has an excellent eye for noticing things that I would deem as worthless."

Dan grinned. "I do?" The food seemed to have cheered him up some. "But then again," he said, "you're the one that cares about dates and stuff like that. I like war and bloodshed and famine and de-" He stopped. "Actually, I don't. But I did."

Ian nodded. "Reading about something is different than living through it."

oO0Oo

When they arrived in London, Amy gasped. The flooded land was frozen. Trees were covered in ice, some still with their leaves on. It was breathtakingly beautiful, the gold and red of the leaves against the shining crystal of the ice.

"It's so beautiful." She muttered. "But when did it get so cold?"

Ian glanced at it. "Well, yes, I suppose it is."

Natalie stared out at the ice. "I don't know. It was just like the United States when we left."

But it was also gruesome. The ice stretched on for mile after endless mile, leaving a trail of death and despair.

"Look at this!" Ian gasped, pointing to the small TV in the plane.

Amy stared in horrified fascination as the skinny news reporter commented on the weather. According to her, temperatures on earth were all dropping below ten degrees Fahrenheit.

"But how is that possible?"

Ian shook his head. "I don't know. I just don't know."

Dan stared up at the sky, his face strangely serious. "What if we're moving away from the sun?" He asked.

* * *

 **My bad. I didn't mean to cliffie it there . . . but fortunately, since I've edited this . . . NOW YOU CAN JUST GO READ THE NEXT CHAPTER!**

 **Ok, you know what will make me happy. Review, Review and Review. Tell me what you think. Feel free to point out any errors. I love constructive criticism!**

 **39addict101**


	3. Chapter 3

**(unedited author's note) Hey everyone thanks for reading. Thanks to StarCrossedLovers, Choclate1203, and I'mNotAGoodWriter for Reviewing.**

 **I'mNotAGoodWriter-I compared them to anorexics just because I felt like that was a good way to describe the world: as a bunch of starved skinny people.**

 **Anyways, enjoy the story!**

* * *

Nellie Gomez stared out at the frozen world around her and shuddered. She pulled her large, down parka closer to her small body.

She had lost weight during the past few years, as all of them had. But it wasn't the weight she missed. It was the food. Living without it was torture.

Light, airy croissants, cakes with lavish light, fluffy frosting, creamy puddings, highly seasoned steaks, an apple . . . they were all things of the past.

Her croissants . . . they gone forever. Whenever she got bread it was some whole wheat junk that tasted like sandpaper in her mouth.

"What is causing this?" She wondered aloud. "I miss my food."

She stared out over the frozen lake that had only recently frozen. Nellie wasn't quite sure why she had wanted to go outside but the air inside her apartment was stuffy and cold so Nellie figured getting fresh cold air was better than stuffy cold air.

The sidewalk overlooked a small pond and several other people stood, staring dumbly out at the stiff water.

A man strode towards Nellie. "I heard you say you wanted to know why this is happening."

Nellie nodded. "Of course. Doesn't everyone?"

The man shrugged. "Yes, but that man over there has an interesting theory. Maybe it'll liven up your day."

Nellie shrugged. "If you say so. I'll believe anything at this point."

The man laughed. "I don't know if you'll believe him. He's pretty crazy." He pointed towards a man who leaned against a solid concrete pillar, which supported an abandoned highway bridge.

The man walked away and left Nellie to her thoughts. "It can't be that terrible." Nellie decided. She walked towards the man. "Hey." She said. "I'm Nellie Gomez." She stuck out a gloved hand. The man looked up and shook her hand with a surprisingly strong grip. "Someone told me you know why this is happening." Nellie gestured at the space around her, the dead trees, the frigid air, the ice.

The man raised an eyebrow. "Do you want to know or do you want to make fun?"

Nellie shrugged. "I mean, I don't know . . . How about you tell me. If I want to make fun I won't do it in front of you."

The man nodded. "Fair enough. But I'm not being on your news broadcast."

Nellie laughed. "Oh, I'm not a news reporter. I'm just an average person who would love to know why this is happening."

The man laughed. "I think that we're moving away from the sun."

Nellie choked on a laugh, caught herself, composed her face and said, "Why?"

"I've studied both astronomy and astrology for many years. I noticed last year, when the heat wave hit that the sun seemed larger . . . closer to the earth." He paused, letting his words sink in.

Nellie thought for a moment. "It's not the craziest theory I've heard . . . I guess it makes sense."

"This year, in March," The man continued, "The temperatures seemed normal, remember? But now, at the end of July, its freezing and there's ice everywhere. The North Pole's glaciers are returning."

Nellie cocked her head. "So we're moving away from the sun? Why the sudden shift?" She paused. "And what about those rumors that the sun is only shining over the ocean? And how is it raining?"

"Those," The man said, "Are rumors. How many of you can actually afford to waste the fuel, time and money to go fly out over the ocean when all you want to do is get food."

Nellie nodded. "I see."

"And the sun was larger last year, right? The drought? The sun just picked up enough water over the oceans and everywhere else to rain enough to flood the land."

Nellie blinked. "Why is this making sense?"

The man shrugged. "Because it's logic and this is my field of knowledge, not the common citizen's."

Nellie sighed. "But what would cause the earth or the sun to move?"

The man glanced at his wrist watch. He scanned Nellie's fireworks hair, skinny jeans and small frame and said, "I'll call you later. No news reporter would put neon colors in their hair." He held out a hand. "Nellie Gomez, I'm Dr. Luke Martin." He handed her a card.

oO0Oo

"Are you crazy, Dan?" Natalie shrieked. "Or are you just plain stupid? How in the world could we move away from the sun? We have an orbit, you do know that, right?"

"Gravity." Amy said. "Gravity keeps us in orbit."

Dan frowned. "I don't know it was just a theory I threw out there. It's no worse than the 'OMG, there's a circle in our crops, aliens must have landed here!' "

"So you're saying that next we're going to just . . . float off into space because our gravity is nonexistent?"

"Not nonexistent." Ian said. "Otherwise we'd be floating around right now."

Amy nodded. "I think you might have a valid theory there, Dan." At the Kabra's startled glances, Amy said, "During the clue hunt, it was always the most stupid ideas that saved us." She glared at Ian. "Like Korea. Exploding thousand year old dynamite wasn't exactly smart, was it?"

Ian looked away. "Ok."

Amy was thinking of what to say next when her phone rang. It was Nellie. She answered. "Hey, what's up?"

Nellie was excited. She was talking really fast and in a high-pitched voice. Amy held the phone away from her ear. "Nellie? Say it again . . . slower . . . so that we can hear you." She put it on speaker. "Ok, go ahead."

"You would not believe what I just heard today!" Nellie squawked. "I met this cool doctor dude outside of my apartment . . "

"And he told you that you had a mental problem." Ian mumbled.

Nellie stopped. "Who said that? Amy, who's with you?"

Amy laughed. She could just see Nellie's furrowed brow, her eyebrows arched, bright hair sticking up. "We're with the Kabras. Nel-"

"You're what? With Ian? With that backstabber? With that git? Amy, he LEFT YOU IN A CAVE TO DIE. REMEMBER?"

Amy frowned, glancing at Ian over one shoulder. He looked uncomfortable. "Nellie. It's ok. I trust him."

Nellie snorted. "That's what you said last time."

Dan broke in. "Whatevs, just tell us what this dude said. We have a world to save."

Nellie coughed. "Um, ok?" She took a deep breath. "But anyway, he said that he thinks the world is moving away from the sun? Isn't that crazy? I can't belive it. But it made sense because of all these reasons he gave me." Nellie began rattling off reasons.

Natalie's eyes went wide. "You were right, Dan." She mouthed. "I'm sure of it."

Dan blinked. "Uh, thanks?"

Nellie was still talking. "He gave me his phone number. I'm going to call him back after I eat some shriveled bread." She gagged and sniffed dramatically, which sounded really interesting over the phone.

Dan's eyes brightened. "Do that again!" He said.

Natalie shook her head. "No! That's disgusting, Daniel."

Ian shook his head. "Nellie, what's the number? Be snappy, will you?"

"Hey, if you think-"

Amy groaned. "Nellie, just give us the number."

Nellie sighed. "Fine. 405-890-2310"

Amy looked at Dan. "Got it." He said.

"Thanks, Nellie. Enjoy your bread. Bye." Amy said, clicking off the phone and feeling terrible for hanging up on her au pair.

She pulled up her dial screen and handed the phone to Dan. He dialed the number and pressed the call button.

oO0Oo

An hour later, after talking to Dr. Luke Martin, Amy knew that his crazy theory had to be right.  
Ian shook his head. "It can't be."

Amy arched an eyebrow. "Remember the clue hunt!"

Ian shook his head and stalked angrily away. Amy had long ago put the phone on speaker so everyone could hear. "Any questions, guys?" She asked.

Everyone shook their head. They had asked them before and they had been answered logically. "So . . ." Amy said. "I do have one." She paused. "Why are we moving farther away rather than closer?"

The doctor paused. "I . . I can't tell you that."

There was a soft click.

"Hey! He hung up!" Natalie cried.

"What was that for?" Dan asked, angrily.

"What was his name again?" Ian asked. "Let's call him again and introduce ourselves with our last names. Probably if he knows who I am he'll tell us."

Amy snorted. "Right."

Natalie sighed. "His name is Dr. Luke Martin. And he would have told us because everyone knows and loves the Kabras."

Dan rolled his eyes. "I'm don't know about you, but I'm dead positive that tribes from Africa wouldn't give a crap who you are. They'd probably hide under a bush thinking 'Snake!'."

"Funny." Ian said. Then he jumped. "Martin?" His eyes light up and Amy couldn't help but notice how dark his eyes were, even when excited. "He's a Lucian. Call him back!" Ian demanded.

"Great." Dan mumbled, dialing the number. "Another snake." **  
**

* * *

 ** **Hahahahahahahahaahahhaah . . . it's heating up. Now . . . . please review, if you haven't already. :D****

 **39addict101**


	4. Chapter 4

**(unedited author's notes) Hey guys. Thanks for reviewing. I honestly thought that this story would be a dud, as I was just trying to experiment...so thank you all!**

 **Rival Argentica-Thanks for your review! I try to describe stuff, but its just something I'm not the best at...I try...thanks for pointing that out. I really appreciate it!**

 **Like I've said before, don't hesitate to point out faults. I really need it, because sometimes you just can't tell if something's wrong. Thanks.**

 **Let's begin!**

* * *

Ian raised a hand to slap Dan. Amy caught his wrist. "Don't." She whispered. "You'd knock him over." Ian looked sheepish.

"Are you sure he's a Lucian?" Amy asked. "And how would he being a Lucian help us?"

"Because," Ian said, using the voice one uses when talking to very small children. "This guy is third in the Lucian Ladder."

"Yes." Natalie said, running her fingers through a section of hair. "We Lucians only take the best for our leaders." She smiled. "Of course, Ian and I are technically second in command, as Mother and Father are first . . . . but one must adhere to the rules."

"Whatever." Dan said. "Keep going, Ian. I'd rather listen to your voice than Natalie's."

Natalie slapped Dan. Dan wobbled and pitched forward. Ian leaned forward and smacked his hand against

Dan's chest, knocking him backwards. "Thanks nothing." Dan said.

"Don't mention it." Ian smirked, then frowned. "Like I was trying to say," he continued, still using the parental voice. "This man is third in the Lucian Ladder, after Irina Spasky. He is not only an amazing astronomer, but he is also a great astrologer and," Ian paused, arching his eyebrows, "He works for NASA. He's been up in space many, many times."

Dan nodded. "I think I see what he's saying. This guy is like, el genius in space stuff so he'd be the one we'd want to consult, right?"

Amy groaned. "El genius? Dan, you're such a dweeb."

Dan sighed. "I thought girls were supposed to be smart. You're not even getting what he's saying, are you."

Amy sighed. "I know what he's saying!"

"No you don't!" Dan said. "You're just pretending too because LOVER BOY is right there and-"

"Shut it." Amy snapped.

Natalie held up a hand. "Daniel, don't you know anything? The reason she's acting like this is because she's a girl. She's probably _on_."

Dan blinked. "On what? Ian's lap?"

Amy looked at Natalie and quickly drew her hand across her throat in a cutting motion. "Stop it." She mouthed.

Natalie fluttered her eyelashes at Amy, her brown eyes innocently large. "Don't you know? I'll have to tell-"

Amy cut her off. "Save the bloody explanation for another time."

Natalie laughed. "Nice one, Amy."

"Why?" Dan cried, looking from a fuming Amy to smirking Natalie. "Ian, help me!" He cried. "I'm surrounded by females!"  
Ian groaned. "I know. But Dan. Let me just tell you something. You and I are going to have to have a chat about periods sometime."

Dan stared at Ian. "Periods?"

"Dan, just shut up." Amy said.

"But Natalie brought it up!"

Amy closed her eyes. "Just do what I say." She sighed. "Ian, what were we talking about again." The truth hurt. She hadn't had a period for a long time. Her body was beginning to shut down, to save its fluids rather than release them. Not that she was complaining, but it would be nice to know that her body was still functioning normally rather than shutting down.

Ian nudged her. "Did you hear anything I said?"

Amy smiled. "Nope."

Ian rolled his eyes. "Maybe Natalie's right. You must be on your per-"

"Shut up." Amy said.

"Touché." Ian said. He rolled his eyse and continued. "Now as I was trying to say before Daniel interrupted me."

"Don't call me Daniel." Dan said.

Ian ignored him. "Dr. Martin is quite intelligent. All Lucians are, of course."

Dan groaned. "Watch it, boy, or I'll punch your enlarged head."

Ian straightened his shoulders. "If this guy thinks that the sun is going away, or the earth is drawing away from it, then he's probably right."

"Really?" Amy said. "Really? So as soon as you find out this guy is a Lucian you're ready to believe everything he says?"

Ian smiled. "Yes, actually."

Amy shook her head, sending Dan a look of disgust. _That boy. That hot, handsome boy._ Amy shook it off. She didn't have time to look at Ian. They had a world to save.

"What was that number again?" Ian asked.

Dan recited the number while Ian punched it into his phone.

Amy smiled as she looked at her brother, with a piece of his blonde hair sticking up. And he was laughing his butt off at something Natalie had said. The Kabras had really helped to bring him out of his shell.

Maybe it was the whole saving-the-world thing or maybe it was just the fact that the Kabras had food and money. A few minutes ago he'd been arguing and ready to kill Natalie, just like the old days. The old Dan seemed to be coming back and Amy liked it. She could only hope that he would stay.

She glanced out of the Kabra's mansion window, at the frozen water that surrounded their house. The sky was a dark gray, with angry clouds billowing across the horizon. Now that she thought about it, she hadn't seen the sun in days, if not months. The sky was always a dirty-water gray and the clouds seemed to float like soap bubbles in dirty dishwater.

When Amy was younger, she'd never imagined the sky could be such an ugly color. During the winter, sometimes it turned slightly gray but there was always a slight blue hue to the color. This was beyond gray . . . almost black and there was no blue tint. She hadn't seen the sun and even the moon didn't give quite the same light.  
 _The moon_.

"Dan? What about the moon?"

Dan blinked. "What?"

"If the earth goes out of orbit, will the moon go out of orbit too, following the earth, or will the moon stay in the same path and collide with the earth?"

Dan swallowed. "I don't know."

"Ian?" She asked.

Ian frowned and recalled the number, probably for the third or fourth time. "What, love?"

Dan glared daggers at him but said nothing.

Amy told Ian what she had thought.

Natalie cocked her head. "I didn't think of that."

But Ian's eyes shone. "Brilliant." There was a note of victory in his voice. "I'll have to ask Dr. Luke, if he picks up."

Suddenly there was a beep and a "Hello? Why did call me fifteen times in a row? Can't a man read a paragraph of his book uninterrupted?"

Amy leaned over and whispered to Dan, "Doesn't this dude have caller ID?"

"Who said that?" The man said. "Whoever is holding the phone put it on speaker." There was a pause.

"Ian, this better not be a prank call. What does your father want?"

"Nothing." Ian said. "I want you."

"Oh? Why?"

"I was the one who called you earlier, with my cousins, Amy and Dan Cahill."

There was a long pause. "Well why didn't you introduce yourself to me before? I would have told you more. I just didn't want this information to get too far out of the Cahill circle."

Ian laughed. "I didn't want to be too prideful and I didn't know there was anything that confidential."

Amy snorted. Ian's _richer than you_ attitude was getting on her nerves. "Ian, give me the phone." She snatched it out of his grasp.

"Sheesh." Natalie said. "It was on speaker."

Amy blushed. "Oh, sorry." She mouthed an apology to Ian, sucked in a breath and asked, "What will happen to the moon if the earth goes out of orbit? Will it hit the earth?"

Dr. Luke Martin gasped. "I . . . I . . . yes, dear. You've hit the nail right on the head."

* * *

 **Review! Please tell me what you think!**

 **I know this was a long time ago . . . but . . . Rival Argentica, I wanna thank you for your help with that chapter. I took some ideas from your review! Lol. Thanks.**

 **39addict101**


	5. Chapter 5

**Hi people. This is really hard to write...I admire all those who have written AUs. Rival Argentica, you're right up on top. I've got a lot to learn from you.**

 **Well, anyway, enjoy!**

* * *

Dr. Luke sighed. "The moon will hit the earth. I''m still trying to figure out exactly where and why, but my estimations show that the moon will hit the earth sometime next month." His voice was tired. He sounded as if he had been working on his "estimation" for a long time.

"You said estimation." Natalie said. "Is this like, an educated guess, or a wild guess?"

Dr. Luke chuckled. "This my dear, is an educated guess. I applied tons of geometry theorems and postulates to figure this out."

Natalie nodded and then remembered she couldn't be seen through the phone. "Ok."

"Where will it hit?" Amy asked.

"I believe the U.S. Whoever planned this was very careful with details."

"Planned?" Ian asked, while at the same time Dan said, "How does someone plan that?"

"Why would someone do that? And how would they do that?" Natalie asked.

Ian frowned, his brow furrowed. "Does it have anything to do with the earth's magnetic field?"

"Yes." Dr. Luke answered. "I think that the planet closest to us, Venus, is pulling us away. However, I don't know how or why, because this has not happened in the past."

Ian frowned. "But how does someone mess with gravity and magnetic fields?"

Amy nodded. "That's what I was wondering."

Dan was silent. Amy could almost see the wheels turning in his mind. All of a sudden, he jumped. "Gravity makes weight, right?" His eyes were bright.

Ian shrugged. "I guess."

Natalie rolled her eyes. "How does that help us?"

"If you add more weight, then Venus' pull would be stronger, right?"

Dr. Luke cleared his throat. "I don't think that's how it works. Gravity is what causes weight. Adding more weight would do nothing to the pull of gravity. Ian, would you say what you said earlier, about gravity and magnetic fields?"

Ian looked confused. "Um . . .ok?" He paused and then shuffled his feet. "What did I say?"

Amy blushed, not sure she wanted to say she remembered what Ian had said. But Dr. Luke had asked, so hopefully no one would make fun of her for saying anything. "He said 'how does someone mess with gravity and magnetic fields?'."

"Thank you, Amy." Dr. Luke said. "I'm pretty sure that I know what is causing the gravity change, although I'm not sure why."

"Ok." Natalie said. "Say it."

Dr. Martin cleared his throat. "Um . . .well, it's kind of ridiculous, but . . ."

"Just say it." Natalie blurted, twisting her hair nervously.

"When I was younger I got involved in this group before I found out about my Cahill heritage. They promised to give me unlimited resources to study space with one condition: I didn't ask where the resources, money, and data was coming from. It sounded too good to be true, so I did it." He paused. "But while I was there, I found some . . . interesting things out."

"Like what?" Ian asked. "That you're a Cahill?"

"That too. But what I found out was that the resources and stuff was from an out of world organization that basically controls gravity. Like for their jobs or something like that."

There was a long silence. The idea was so ridiculous that Amy was taken aback.

Then Ian burst out laughing. "Oh, please!" It broke the spell. Amy and Dan snorted. Natalie fell off her chair.

"I'm serious!" Dr. Luke boomed. "I'm not lying. Why would a sophisticated man like me do something like that?"

"Time to shut you off, old man." Ian said. He hung up and began laughing harder.

Amy winced at the way Ian casually clicked off the phone with someone on the other end, but decided it was probably for the best.

"Well, wasn't he a crazy man!" Natalie said. Dan nodded and then whispered something to her that sounded like "out of world organization" and they both burst out laughing.

Amy turned to Ian, stifling a grin. Dan was laughing. He was actually genuinely laughing and having fun.

This insane Doctor had done some good, she could at least admit that.

"So what idea do we stick with?" Amy asked.

"I like Dan's idea." Ian said. "About adding more weight increasing the pull of gravity."

Dan looked up at Ian. "Really?"

Amy frowned. "But Dr. Luke . . ."

"Who cares what the old quack said?" Ian asked, shrugging it off. He didn't seem concerned so Amy brushed her concern away.

Natalie frowned. "How do you add more weight to Venus?" She flipped her hair over her shoulder, wiggling it in Dan's face. Dan smacked her and the two of them began beating each other.

Amy looked at Ian. "She's not going to pull out any poison guns, is she?"

Ian shook his head. "I confiscated all of them last winter after she tried to use one on me. Mummy and Father both agreed."

Dan sat up, out of breath. "Did someone take a space shuttle out there or something and go collect exploded stars, or like, meteriotes or something? Aren't those heavy?"

Amy cocked her head. "I don't know."

Ian frowned. "Maybe."

Then Natalie sat up and brushed her now-snarled-hair out of her eyes. "Guys, remember that space shuttle that disappeared, like, what was it, a year or two ago, before the famines?"

Amy nodded. "Yeah, it was all over the news and then when it didn't rain for forever everybody just gave up on it."

"Who was on the shuttle?" Dan asked.

"Like, four guys and two girls . . ." Natalie said, frowning. "I don't remember their names."

"Try Google." Dan said.

Amy frowned. "Is it even still up?"

Ian sat up. "I know! I remember this! They were like . . ." He frowned, scrunching his eyebrows together, brushing a stray lock of dark hair out of his eyes. "Richard Wat." He announced. "Henry West, Julia Verse, Ashleigh Gordon, Wesley King and . . ." His face fell. "I don't remember the other guy.

All of them stared at Ian. "Whoa, Ian." Amy said. "I didn't know you had a memory like that."

Ian smirked. "It does come naturally with being a Kabra."

Dan smacked him.

Amy shook her head, trying to get the conversation back on topic. "Ashleigh Gordon? Who's that? I think who the others are . . . somewhat, I mean, I've heard of them, but I have no idea who Ashleigh Gordon is. I've never heard of her before in my life."

Dan frowned. "I feel like I know her from somewhere."

Natalie did a double take. "Ashleigh Gordon?" She gasped. "Oh, my, gosh! I just realized!" She clapped a hand over her mouth. "I can't believe she's gone!"

"Who is she?" Dan asked. Amy and Ian nodded, their eyes riveted on Natalie's face.

"She's only, like, the BEST MODEL FOR PRADA EVER!"

Ian scrunched up his eyebrows. "Oh, Ashleigh Gordon? The hot blonde chic?"

Amy winced. Hearing Ian call someone "hot" wasn't exactly her idea of . . . fun.

Dan smirked. "You know what 'hot' and 'chic' mean?"

Ian turned on him, enraged. "I'm seventeen, you blithering fool! Of course I know what it means! You're probably the naïve one. What does-"

Amy cut him off. "Ian. He doesn't need to hear it."

"Oh, really?" Ian shot back. "Well I'm the one who rescued you people from that dump you were living in. If it wasn't for me, you'd be dead right now."

"Well then, we'll just go back!" Amy yelled, her jade eyes blazing with anger. Then she looked around her.

The Kabras home was still nice and as she thought of her home she instantly regretted her words.

Ian glared at her, his amber eyes filled with rage. "I-"

Dan broke in. "Listen, we were talking about Ashleigh Gordon."

Amy glared at Ian. "Yes."

Ian nodded, shooting daggers at her through his amber orbs. His arms were folded over his chest and he was leaning defensively into a corner. His face was twisted with anger. He looked ready to kill the next person who dared speak against him.

Before she knew what she was doing, she was up next to him and gently running a hand down his cheek. "Ian, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have yelled at you. We're really grateful you came and got us, because right now, we'd be dead."

Ian's face relaxed for two seconds. Then it hardened again. "Whatever. You're welcome." He stepped away from her slight touch, brushing her off like she was fly.

Natalie glared at them. "Hey, guys! I would have said this TWO HOURS AGO but you two were FIGHTING." She paused, glaring at them. "Ashleigh Gordon is some really gorgeous chic who always wears like six-inch stiletto heels with super shorts dress that fit to her body like a glove." She sighed. "Mummy won't let me wear her stuff . . . yet."

Ian groaned. "Thank the Lord. You'd look like a slut."

"Oh, really?" Natalie said, smirking. She shot a quick wink at Amy. "And that would be why you keep pictures of her in some of her more . . . intimate photos in your underwear drawer, eh?"

Ian paled.

Amy snorted. Dan doubled over, grabbed his stomach and laughed. His face scrunched up and his eyes went crinkly. He was squealing.

Amy shook her head and smiled at Natalie. "Good one." She mouthed. Natalie smiled back and Amy realized with a start that with a genuine smile on her face, not a ha-ha-I-won-now-I'm-going-to-kill-you smile, she was even prettier.

Natalie pulled out her phone, still smiling. "Let's see if Google still works." She typed in "Ashleigh Gordon" and they waited breathlessly while the search engine buzzed to life.

"It works!" Ian said, still slightly pale.

Natalie scanned the information that popped up and clicked on a link. "Guys. Look." They all drew near and gasped at what was written on the screen.

"She's wanted for murder?" Dan asked.

"Yeah, in three countries." Amy said. "Countries . . . . not just states."

"And theft in five." Dan reminded. "Along with assault and battery in over twenty. Argentina, United States, England, France, Germany, Romania, Russia, Something Republic of Congo,-"

"Democratic." Amy said.

"Whatever. South Korea, Japan, North Korea-whoa, I wouldn't go to North Korea. This girl's insane." He shook his head. "People's Repulic of China-why can't they just say China?"

Natalie held up a hand. "We don't need to hear all the countries in which she's wanted for assault and battery. We're really ok with just knowing that she's wanted."

Amy scanned the screen, gasped and looked up. "Guys." She sucked in her breath. "Right before she left, she left a note with a relative . . . a Kandi Faihos. But the note's not online. We need to go find Kandi, whoever and wherever she is. I think she's the key."

"Kandi Faihos?" Ian snorted. "I feel bad for the person. Kabra is much more sophisticated last night name, as is Cahill, I guess."

Dan rolled his eyes. "That's only because you're a Cahill. If our last name was-Holt-or something,"

Natalie snorted. "We get your point. Holt is also a terrible last name."

"Where does this Kandi live?" Ian asked Amy.

Amy stared at Natalie's phone screen, the light reflecting on her pale face. She licked her lips nervously. "There's a little problem, guys."

"What is it?" Natalie asked.

"She died two years before the famines."

* * *

 **Thanks for reading guys. Feel free to point out any errors...and PLEASE remember to review.**

 **I really, really, really, appreciate it when you guys do. What's really frustrating is when there's been like fifty views and like two reviews. Those of you who are authors know what I mean.**

 **I try to review every story I read, cuz I know what it feels like to be like, "WHAT NO REVIEWS?"**

 **Ok, sorry for the little rant there. LOL**

 **So, people . . . tell me if I've improved from last time... thx**

 **39addict101**


	6. Chapter 6

**GoddessofPizzas, this one's for you! Dan finally gets "The Talk." (However, for the sake of our younger readers...lol, just read on. Don't kill me. :D )**

 **Rival Argentica: Thanks so much for your ideas! I used some of 'em, so don't kill me either!**

 **I'mNotAGoodWriter: Well, thanks for reviewing, and don't kill me, I suck at science.**

 **I just realized I asked every single one of the above persons not to kill me. That's not good.**

 **SO PLEASE PEOPLE! Don't kill me!**

 **(edit: Lol, I decided to keep that... don't kill me...)**

* * *

"But that doesn't make sense!" Natalie cried.

Dan nodded. "I know. So this Ashleigh Gordon person left a note with a dead relative? That's smart."

Ian frowned. "But . . . it has too."

Dan stared at the name Kandi Faihos on Natalie's phone. "Let me see that!" He said, snatching it out of Amy's hand.

"What are you doing?" Amy and Natalie asked.

"Isn't it obvious?" Ian said. "It must be an anagram."

Natalie shook her head. "No offense to you, Ian, but you keep pictures in your underwear drawers. I followed her on Instagram, like, to see her clothes, but like, she's not very smart." She laughed, showing perfectly straight teeth. "The other day she was insisting that animals were people too." She frowned.

"That was before the famine, so, like, three years ago, or so?"

Ian groaned. "Do we have to bring up the underwear drawer?"

Dan bit his lip. "Paper, or something?"

Natalie took her phone and opened to Notes. Opening to a blank screen, she handed the phone back to

Dan. "There. Work away." She said.

Amy had to restrain herself from laughing. As soon as Dan took the phone his jade eyes went dark, concentrating. He stuck his tongue out of the side of his mouth and stared. It was hilarious.

They waited a few minutes and then Dan held up the phone. "Here we go." He said, holding up the list of possible anagrams.

 _Kinda Oafish_  
 _A Fashion Kid_  
 _A Oafish Kid_  
 _Aha Kid Infos_  
 _Aha Disk Info_  
 _Fain Oaks Hid_

Dan paused, rubbing his temple. He sighed, his eyes showing his disappointment. "Ok, so obviously there's nothing there. Hang on another sec."

Ian looked at Natalie. "My brain is itching."

"With what? Pictures of half-naked Ashleigh Gordon?"

Ian shook his head, completely ignoring Natalie's words. "No." He took the phone out of Dan's hand. "Look at that last one."

Natalie looked at it. "Fain Oaks Hid. So?"

Ian frowned. "Nevermind."

Amy tried not to look at Dan's obvious disappointment. His face was crumpled and his eyes were hollow. He'd put a lot of faith into the anagarms, only to have them fail.

Her heart ached for her brother. Dan was only fifteen. He should have been out playing football in a nice dry field on a nice sunny day, but instead he was crouched in a corner, hiding from disappointment and failure. And hunger.

Ian jumped. "I got it! I know what Fain Oaks means!"

They stared at him. "What?" Amy asked.

"Fain Lake is a reservoir located near Prescott Valley in Arizona! We went there for a vacation a while ago and they had a really nice stand of oaks and it was really nice and shady." Ian was shaking his head.

"Fain Oaks Hid. It's so obvious. I should have realized it before. Ashleigh Gordon hid something there."

Natalie frowned. "So we got out to that dump? That vacation sucked."

Ian sighed. "I know, it did. There were no fancy hotels in that area and all the hotels near the Grand Canyon were booked."

Natalie bit her lip. "That was our last vacation before the famines."

"We have to go there." Dan said, smiling."

Amy stared at Dan, wondering why he was smiling. Ian voiced her thought, cocking his head and staring at Dan as if he were an alien from outer space. "Why are you smiling?"

"Why would I tell you?"

Amy sighed. He was so dump. "Dan, just tell us. We're trying to work together."

Dan smiled. "I was just thinking about how dumb girls were and I was wonder why."

Ian shook his head, but Dan continued. "Does it have anything to do with that period thing you were talking about earlier?"

Natalie brought her palm up to her face in a perfect facepalm. Amy felt her face go red.

"Yes." Ian shouted. "And we'll talk about it later."

Dan glared at Ian. "How about now?"

"Fine." Ian said, shooting a quick glance at Amy, who shook her head at him frantically. Ian smirked and led Dan away. "You ladies keep talking while we're gone. Maybe you should call the good doctor while we're gone. He might have some advice for you."

Dan followed Ian like a puppy and Ian slammed the door behind them. Amy and Natalie shot each other an awkward glance.

"Well . . . Amy said. "When he comes out, his life will be changed."

Natalie laughed. "What is it with us and going off topic? Like, seriously, one minute we're talking about space stuff and the next about Ian's underwear drawer. And then periods and girls and . . . we're just

idiots."  
Amy laughed, somehow managing to roll her eyes. "If it was just us girls, we'd manage to stay on track. Guys are so . . ."

"Stupid, dumb, naïve, incorrigible and many other words I choose not to say." Natalie finished.

"Exactly." Amy said. "What were we talking about before?"

Just then, they heard a strangled scream. "Auughckckckckc!" Dan came running out of the room, his face beet red and slightly green.

Amy glanced over at Natalie, who was also making a weird sound in the back of her throat. "This is the funniest thing since I found out that Ian has pictures of Victoria's Secret models in his tie drawer!"

Ian turned purple. "I told you to stay out of my stuff."

Dan coughed up another weird sound that was halfway between a burp and laughing. "Wow, Ian." He said. "What's in your pants drawer?" He laughed. "Or maybe I should just shorten it to 'what's in your pants?'."

Ian turned a lovely shade of maroon.

Amy coughed. "Is it just me, or is it kind of disturbing to know this stuff about the son of the Lucian branch leader?"

Natalie nodded. "I agree with you perfectly. Guess what's in his closet?"

Ian held up a hand. "That will be enough, thank you, sister." He said the words through gritted teeth.

Just then the little light from the sun went out, like a snuffed candle in a dark room. Thunder crashed and there was a burst of blinding light. Amy ran over to the window. The clouds were rushing by at an extraordinary pace. Thunder crashed and then lightning, brightening the horizon for two seconds. "What happened?" Amy asked.

Ian switched on the TV and gasped. "Venus just exploded." He said. "We need to get to Arizona, now!"

"An exploded star, a supernova, or maybe an exploded planet, has extremely strong gravity. We're going to move farther and farther away." Natalie said. "Let's go."

Amy pushed at the window, trying to move it up. It was frozen to the ledge. "Ian, come help me!" She said. Ian moved towards her and together they shoved the window up. A blast of icy air blew in, encircling the two of them. "This wasn't like this before!" Amy said. They hurriedly shut the window.

As soon as they had shut and locked it, icy particles hit the glass, creating a strange music that sent tingles up and down Amy's spine.

Ian shuddered and grabbed at Amy's hand, pulling her away from the window. "Let's get out of here before it's too late."

* * *

 **Thanks for reading and reviewing! *glares at those reading* Anyway, I hope there aren't too many scientific inaccuracies...I tried. :D**

 **Ok, see you later . . .**


	7. Chapter 7

**Thanks to : Rival Argentica, goddessofpizzas, and I'mNotAGoodWriter for being my most faithful reviewers! I love you guys!**

The air inside the Kabra's private jet was stuffy, but the air outside was frigid so Amy was more than happy to be crammed in a small seat with Ian, trying to ignore the scent of his cologne.

It was sweet and spicy at the same time and she was having an extremely hard time not poking him and asking him what kind of deodorant he wore.

Dan was crammed into an equally small seat with Natalie, but he didn't seem to notice. He was doing his normal activity: sleeping. He'd conked out as soon as they'd sat down and he already had a rivulet of drool running from his mouth to his chin.

It was sad, how much one person could sleep. After the famines had hit, it was the only activity they could engage in that didn't make them hungry.

Watching TV or a movie always called for popcorn and even playing a Clue was difficult because there was a dining room on the board, with a table loaded with a lavish breakfast.

Amy looked over at Dan again and saw that Natalie was squirming away, disgusted. But Dan, even while sleeping, had to be annoying. He seemed to notice the extra room and he took it, spreading out while

Natalie inched away, a look of pure horror on her face.

It was a good thing Natalie had taken the aisle seat, Amy reflected, or she'd be smashed against the window. Already, three-fourths of her body was in the aisle and Dan seemed to be enjoying the inherited one and a half seats.

Amy shook her head, laughing and poked Ian, gesturing towards the pair.

Ian smiled. "I'd shove him back over."

Amy rolled her eyes. "Natalie probably still believes in cooties."

Ian twisted his mouth. "Only Natalie could think of that while the whole world is starving."

Amy smiled. "And only Dan would think of sleeping when the whole world depends on us to save them from starvation."

Ian turned to Amy. "That's pretty weighty. Do you really think that's what we're doing?"

Amy looked up at Ian in surprise. "Well, yes." She bit her lip. "I mean, that's what Cahills should do. We should use our power, our influence, to do good, not to wreck havoc on civilization."

Ian stared at her.

Amy blushed. "I mean, it just seems like the right thing to do." Had she said the wrong thing like she always did?

Ian shook his head. "No, I guess you're right. It makes sense. But I was thinking, why Fain Oaks?"

Amy smiled. "Probably the only anagram she could come up with."

Ian smiled. "You're probably right."

Amy snorted. "Says the person who keeps pictures of her, probably naked, in his underwear drawers."

Ian looked away, blushing. "She's not naked." He paused. "In most of them."

Amy snorted.

They both fell silent, Amy staring out the window of the still unmoving plane, Ian at his feet. The outside was dreary, with the stones from the sky still falling.

Amy turned her attention away from the dismal outside and stared at the interior of the plane. The plane was tiny and not well furnished for such a rich family. But Amy supposed that they had their money reserved for food, not for luxury planes.

The carpet was old; the water closet held a musty smell. The carpet was graying. It seemed like it was originally a deep burgandy, but now it was a light red, with black spots scattered through out. Like Minnie Mouse, Amy thought, and smiled. If Dan was awake . . . She'd have to remember that, tell him the Kabra's plane's carpet looked like Minnie Mouse.

Of course Ian would be mortified if he knew, but they didn't have to tell him.

The seats were also old and scratchy. The soft fabric was peeling, showing the polyurethane foam on the inside.

Amy hoped that the plane's engine was in better repair than the rest of the plane. The engine. It wasn't running. "When is our pilot going to get here?" She asked Ian.

Ian shrugged, knitting his eyebrows togther. "He was supposed to get here, but he's not very reliable. But I guess it's the best we can do right now. If you haven't noticed, the whole world is suffering so maybe something came up, or something."

Amy frowned. "But most pilots get to the plane before the passengers do."

Ian sighed. "I know. Like I said, he's probably worrying about getting food for his family before he has to leave."

Amy nodded. "I understand."

Ian's face, which had been scrunched up, realaxed. "Are you ok?" He asked. "You've seemed different, more withdrawn than the Amy I knew during the clue hunt."

 _The Amy I knew during the clue hunt_. His words sent shivers down her spine. Just what did he mean by that? Amy sighed. "I don't know, Ian."

"Is it the hunger?" Ian asked.

Amy nodded. "Yes, and worrying that I'm going to choose feeding myself over feeding Dan. It hurts me, Ian, to think that I could do that."

Ian stared at her. "You think like that?"

Amy stared back at him. "Doesn't everyone?"

Ian shook his head. "We all should. But we don't. "

Amy blinked. "I mean, I guess just assumed everyone does. But still, I'm scared that one of these times I'll take away Dan's food, that I'll turn animal like the rest of the population. So far I've done a good job, but . . . I'm still afraid."

Ian didn't say anything and the pair lapsed into silence, broken by Natalie's shriek.

Dan jolted away. "Watch it!" He yelled. "You didn't have to yell right into my ear at that high of a pitch."

Natalie ignored Dan. "Guys, it's rumored that Preston Valley just had an earthquake. That's where we're going!"

Ian and Amy exchanged a quick glance and then they were both of their seats, rushing towards Natalie.

She held her phone out to them and they stared dumbstuck at the screen.

It was true.

"But it's a rumor." Dan said. "Even Dr. Luke pointed out that rumors can't be proven because . . . no one can investigate them."

They all relaxed.

"But what if it's true?" Natalie said.

Amy stared at her. "What if the oaks are gone? Maybe it's even flooded! How in the world are we supposed to go and get a message out of an oak if it's underwater?"

Ian shrugged. "Scuba dive?"

"We'd freeze." Amy retorted.

Ian sighed. "Then we're just going to have to head out and hope the trees aren't underwater. That is . . . if the pilot gets here soon."

"What?" Dan yelped. "He's not here yet?"

"Try calling him." Amy commanded.

Ian nodded and pulled out his phone. Pressing the call button, he listened anxiously as it rang and rang and rang and rang and rang and rang and rang before it finally clicked off.

Ian slid his phone back in his pocket. "So . . . anyone know how to fly a plane?"

Amy frowned. "No." Then she smiled. "But I know someone who does." She pivoted, facing Dan, winking at him. "Dan, call Nellie."

Ian blanched. "Nellie?"

"That girl who doesn't know how to chew with her mouth shut or answer a simple question?" Natalie asked.

Amy smiled. "This is also the girl who's saved our butts a million times and she's going to do it again."

"Yeah." Dan said. "Plus, she was pretty brave. I mean, I wouldn't have thought to splash poisoned drink all over you guys and then sit on the backpack with the antidote."

Amy shook her head. "Yes, you would have."

"No." Dan said. "I'd have tilted Natalie's head and poured the drink into her screaming mouth and then sat on the backpack."

Amy rolled her eyes. "Same thing."

Natalie scooted away from Dan.

Dan dialed Nellie and they listened anxiously for Nellie's voice. She answered on the last ring. "Hello?"

She was chewing something. _Pretzels,_ Amy thought, wondering where she got them.

"Nellie," Amy said. "We need your help."

"Kabras eat Dan and tie you up?"

Amy groaned. "No. Wanna fly a plane?"

* * *

 **I'm sorry guys. I just realized nothing happened in this chapter. Please forgive me.**

 **Venus just exploded, and for those of you that don't understand, when a star explodes, it has a super magnetic field, and they're called a supernova. So since Venus, which is much closer to the earth than a star, exploded, it would mean the earth would be pulled farther and farther away from the sun at a quicker rate.**

 **If you still don't get it, PM and I'll try to explain. I should have picked something simpler to write about than the laws of the universe. Lol.**

 **However, know I have a solution. :DDDD**


	8. Chapter 8

**(unedited author's note)Thanks Miss Awesomsauce for helping me with this chapter. You provided me with some good ideas, especially since I stumped myself from the last chapter. XD**

 **I have now learned my lesson. Never, and I mean NEVER write a story and publish it if you don't know where its going.**

 **It's so much different with romance, though. I did that with Running On Empty, and it turned out fine, but with this one, where you have to have everything planned out...its just different.**

 **So...enjoy!**

* * *

 _Ashleigh Gordon pursed her lips, looking down at the tiny earth. Its orbit was already messed up, hopefully beyond repair, all thanks to their friends. No one had ever done this before, communicated with beings smarter and more witty than the human race, but she was learning._

 _She smiled, a cruel evil smile that mimicked the smiles of those who were helping her. The earth was out of orbit and the plan would go as projected, thanks to the Glysi._

 _If it did . . . only time could tell what would happen to the idiotic citizens of the dying sphere._

 _But Ashleigh knew what would happen to her. Wealth beyond her imagination, power beyond that of the Cahills. It was hers and hers to take. Of course, she would have to share with her friends, but when there is unlimited wealth such as the Glysi possessed, there was no need to break alliances._

 _She looked down at the blue planet, spinning out of control, out of orbit, into disaster, with its miserable wretched people soon to be at her command. They were so vulnerable, so easy to manipulate and control._

 _Especially with the little secret she had gained. With this thought, she grinned. Her plan was coming along quite nicely._

oO0Oo

Nellie Gomez stared out at the frozen world around her. Cars could now operate again, if they wished to drive on ice. Before, nothing could operate, there was no where to drive it, but now the flood waters were ice. You could drive across the ocean if you wished, so it was rumored . . . if there had been enough fuel.  
People across the globe had hyperventilated when they realized they wouldn't be able to drive their cars anymore. They had gotten their wish, Nellie reflected grimly. The only problem was that fuel was running out.

No one coould drill into frozen soil to find the black gold, no one could grow corn as an alternate fuel souce, and even if they did grow corn people would rather eat it than feed it to their cars. And as for solar power, that was out of the picture. The sun had retreated behind a mass of black clouds, leaving the earth to fend for itself.

Shivering, she wrapped her feathered parka closer to her body. She wished she hadn't cut her hair last month. If it was longer, down to her shoulders, instead of cut short to her head, it would keep her ears warm. She also wished that she'd dropped the neon colors at home. People looked at you funny if your hair looked like the fireworks display on Independence Day.

Nellie glanced out her car window, observing the fat, fluffy flakes of snow that were falling, covering everything with a layer of poofy white. At least it wasn't pure ice, Nellie thought. The day before it had rained small ice balls, similar to hail, that stung your face when they touched your skin.

She turned on her car and drove towards London, where her Cahillian friends awaited her arrival. Now if she had enough fuel in her car to make it . . .

oO0Oo

When she arrived at the hanger where Amy had told her the plane was located, she saw Ian. Ridiculously hot, as usual, he was stomping about the plane angrily.

Amy looked up and saw Nellie standing awkwardly outside the plane. "Nellie!" Amy squealed, throwing open the plane hatch and running towards Nellie with open arms.

Nellie enveloped the frail girl in her open arms, hating how skinny Amy had become and wondering when she had gotten enough strength to run across the room, rather than slowly move from object to object.

Maybe the Kabras hadn't been all that bad . . .

Nellie had been lucky. For babysitting . . . au pairing . . . the Cahills during the clue hunt, Grace's lawyer had given her several million plus her wages. She still had money left over, enough to get her through the famine with some to spare.  
If the famine ended within the next five years. And if food didn't run out before then.

"Finally." Ian snapped, breaking into her thoughts. He stood in front of her, his arms crossed across his chest. "We've been waiting for a long time."

Nellie arched one eyebrow. "I'm sorry, Ian." She said. "But if you haven't noticed, the roads are frozen. Have you ever tried driving on a sheet of ice?" She held out a hand.

Ian took it, shook it gingerly, and dropped it quickly like it was a piece of dead fish.

Nellie looked at Amy who was shaking her head. "Is he always like this?"

Amy rolled her eyes. "I don't know. If he is, I just don't notice, thank goodness."

Nellie frowned. "Where to?"

Ian smiled. "Lake Fain, Prescott Valley, Arizona. Land as close as you can."

Nellie nodded. "Will do."

Amy nodded. "Just do your best."

Ian cleared his throat. "And don't kill us, please."

Nellie wheeled on Ian. "I'll take my money now." She said.

Ian narrowed his amber eyes and crossed his arms. "Half now. Half when we get there."

"Deal." Nellie said.

Ian retreated, probably to get money.

"Nellie!" Amy hissed.

Nellie rolled her yes. "If I have to live another second with this . . . hottie without knowing I going to get paid, I would die."

Amy stepped back, almost defensively, Nellie thought. "He's not a hottie." Amy said, crossing her arms.

Nellie blinked. Could Amy . . . _like_ . . . Ian? Of all people? After what he'd done to her in Korea? "I thought you got over him in Cairo." Nellie said softly.

Amy looked at Ian. Her eyes spoke what her mouth could not. "Sometimes . . . you don't get over people." Amy said, her voice betraying emotion.

oO0Oo

Nellie had never had such trouble flying a plane. The sky seemed angry at her intrusion of its airy territory and seemed to whip the tiny plane from side to side with a vengenance that was out of this world.

 _God-like_. Nellie thought. _It's like the gods are angry at me for intruding in their territory._

Ian came walking in, holding tightly to the wall of the plane as it bucked angrily. "How are you flying this thing?" He demanded. "Amy told me you knew how to fly!"

Nellie's knuckles were bone-white as she gripped the controls. She ignored him, fighting to keep the rebel plane under control. "Can't. Talk. Now." She gasped, jerking at the wheel.

The plane swooshed to one side. Ian fell to the floor. "What are you doing?" He asked.

"I don't know!" Nellie cried, hating the panic that crept into her voice. "The sky hates me today!"

Ian got unsteadily to his feet, rubbing his soon-to-be-bruised head. He opened his mouth to say something, then seemed to think better of it.

Keeping his mouth closed, to Nellie's great relief, he walked out of the cockpit, leaving Nellie to fight with the plane.

oO0Oo

As Ian headed back from the cockpit, he swayed dangerously with each step, despite clinging to the wall.

As he approached his seat, he saw that Amy was struggling to hold on to her seat. He knew the danger. If she let go of her seat she would be pitched to the floor.

She had protested when he had decided that it was Nellie's fault the plane was rocking like runaway child's rocking toy.

 _I should have listened_. Ian thought. He'd staggered away, thrown this way and that by the odd movements of the plane. He'd also seen how tightly Nellie had gripped the wheel.

She knew how to fly a plane. Or they would have all been dead by now.

Ian stepped towards the seat, letting go of the wall. He flung himself at the seat, catching it only because the movement of the plane directed him towards the chair. "Sorry." He said, sliding over her legs to get to his seat.

He shuddered as he felt how small her legs were. Almost like Ashleigh Gordon. The sexy model was tiny, skinny, yet somehow ravishing.

But Ian knew that Ashleigh Gordon's legs were not only bone, maybe because he had studied them for many a time.

"I didn't know it would be so hard to walk." Ian said, trying to break the uncomfortable silence. "I'm sorry, Amy. I should have listened to you."

He stared at her face. The perfect way her jade eyes smiled at him, how perfect her lips were. They were the only thing that was perfect. Her cheeks were hollow, her skins stretched over bone.

Amy said nothing. Ian tried again. "Look." He gestured out the window the plane.

It was dark, and from the looks of it, cold. Angry black clouds enfolded the plane in its treacherous embrace. They could hear the wind howling, screaming, shrieking, over the noise of the engines.

It was an eerie sound, like the screeching of an owl, yet somehow like the howl of a wolf.

"What's wrong?" Amy asked. She sounded near tears.

A small feeling of pity ran over Ian. He felt sorry for the girl. For one thing, she was lower class, for another, she was so . . . vulnerable.

He took her hand in his, tracing the lines in her palm. "I don't know." He said. He tried to tell her, by his touch, that everything would be ok.

But it was difficult, especially since all Ian felt was dread. Dread that the neon-haired woman in the cockpit couldn't fly the plane. Dread that they would fail at their mission.

And a tiny sense of dread that maybe . . . maybe Dr. Luke had been right.

The only way something this horrible could be explained was by out-of-this-world activity.

* * *

 **Auughhh! Why do I feel like all of my chapters have nothing happening in them? Sometimes I don't know why I started writing it.**

 ** **The only reason I am continuing to write this is because of my readers . . . so .. . . I hate you?****

 **No, that's not right, but hey, you know what I mean.**

 **Thanks for all the support, love and patience you've shown while following this story, and waiting forever to read more of it. :D**

 **39addict101**


	9. Chapter 9

Amy clung to the seat, her nails digging into the soft foam. Fear tore through her, like knife ripping through canvas.

Her breaths came fast and she panted, trying to get more air into her screaming lungs.

Ian's hand had long ago let go of hers, as he too was desperately clinging to his seat, fighting for air.

"Hold on kiddos!" They heard Nellie's anguished cry. "This plane is going down!"

"No!" Dan cried, his voice cracking, panic evident in his voice. "I don't want to die!" He screamed. "I don't want to die!"

Amy's heart ached. Not forty-eight hours before there had been no reason for them to live. Dan, Amy knew, had been having suicidal thoughts. And now he wanted to live.

Life was full of cruel irony that stabbed at you when you least expected it.

"Idiot! Idiot!" Natalie was screaming, most likely at Nellie.

Amy wished she had chosen to sit by Dan, rather than by Ian. She didn't want Dan's last memory to be of Natalie's shrill voice.

"We won't die!" Natalie said. "Not if I can help it." She stood up shakily, heading towards a small cupboard near the back of the plane.

Natalie pulled out five things that appeared to be lifejackets.

They were an ugly neon green mixed with red and they held the shape of a lifejacket, but with a bulky compartment in the back. Natalie hesitantly walked back to Dan and threw one at him, threw two at Amy and put her own on.

Then she threw another one at Amy and said, "Throw it to the front for Nellie to put on."

Amy nodded and pitched it. It went five feet. "Or not." She said.

Ian stood up, slid past her and began half-running, half-stumbling to the lifejacket, which he delivered to Nellie.

Dan was struggling with his lifejacket, complaining the whole time. "Goody." He said. "Now I cam swim to safety in the _frozen solid_ ocean. Thanks so much, Natalie. I'll save my life for sure doing that."

Natalie sighed, but said nothing. She shoved Dan over and sat down. "Listen." She said. "I have to explain everything to this idiot." She paused. "This is not just a lifejacket. It will float but it also has a parachute in the back. I'm smarter than you think, Daniel."

"Oh. Sorry." Dan said, then snapped. "And don't call me Daniel."

Natalie smiled. "It's fine." She said, leaning back against the shredded seat.

Amy smiled sheepishly. She'd been thinking the same thing as Dan, but hadn't voiced her thoughts. She glanced over at Ian, whose face held a look of intense concentration.

Pulling out his phone, he typed a quick text message. In a few seconds his phone dinged and he shot upright. "I got it!" He exlaimed, looking like a child on Christmas morning. "Venus didn't explode at all." He said. Then he wobbled as the shot upward. Sitting back down, he griped his seat tightly.

Natalie flicked a piece of lint off her chair. "Yes, it did, Ian."

Ian shook his head. "No! It didn't. You don't understand, you haven't heard why I think that, ok? Just listen."

Everyone nodded and focused their attention on Ian.

"So, we're moving, right?"

They nodded.

"What does this have to do with Venus?" Amy asked.

"Just listen." Ian snapped impatiently. "We're moving, but none of the other planets are moving with us. So that means if a star is in a certain place, it is now in a different place."

Amy nodded. "I think I get what you're saying. So something that was originally in Venus' spot before we moved exploded but now that Venus is farther to the . . ." She paused. "Either the left or the right, I don't know." She looked at Ian.

Ian shrugged. "No idea."

Dan nodded. "I see it so clearly."

Natalie nodded too, but more slowly. "So you're saying that what happened is some random something exploded and astonomers just assumed it was Venus."

"Right." Ian and Amy said at the same time, smiling at each other. Dan pretended to stick a finger down his throat and made gagging noises.

Two pairs of eyes, one amber and one jade, turned to glare at him. Grinning sheepishly, he turne dto Natalie. "Now what?" He asked.

Amy shrugged. "Don't know. I guess we just file this information away."

The plane bucked and Amy grabbed her seat.

Natalie flipped her hair, or maybe the plane flipped it for her, Amy wasn't sure. "Imagine!" She said. "A couple of kids figuring something out that experience astronomers couldn't!"

"I mean, it makes sense." Amy said. "They're just trying to feed their families and this job doesn't pay super well right now so they aren't paying that close attention."

Ian shook his head. "No. Because . . . they should be trying to figure out why this is happening. I mean, isn't it obvious that whatever's happening has something to do with space?"

Dan nodded. "Yeah. Why can we figure out stuff while they can't?"

oO0Oo

In the cockpit, Nellie fought with the plane, struggling to keep it under control. This was worse than the time someone had invited her to fly through a hurricane with her. "You can do this, baby." She said, feeling stupid for talking to the plane like it was kid.

But the plane was definately acting like a young child, whipping around, bucking, and throwing a fit.

 _Breathe in, Nellie_. She told herself. _Don't let a plane get the best of you._

Her hands gripped the wheel and she punched buttons, with all the careful eyes of trained and experienced pilot. Never had she ever, in her wildest dreams, imagined that she would need all of her experience and knowledge, plus so muchmore, to fly a plane through a sky above an ice age.

 _oO0Oo_

 _Ashleigh Gordon stared at the spinning planet, relishing that it was moving fast. "Julia!" She called. "Come out here!"_

 _In a few seconds, a tall brunette came walking towards Ashleigh. "Yes?"_

 _"Look at this world." Ashleigh bit her lip. "Something isn't right about it."_

 _Julia smiled. "Duh. Obviously because it's out of orbit. It's going to hit right over there." She motioned with the flip of one hand towards a large blob in the distance._

 _Ashleigh placed a hand on the bridge of her nose. "No, no, no!" She protested. "That's not it." She sounded childish, but she didn't care. "Why isn't the earth moving faster?"_

 _Julia shrugged. "I don't know. For all I care, they can have an extra day before they hit." She smiled, but Ashleigh thought she looked like a wolf ready to bite the neck of a lamb. It was beautiful._

 _Just then they heard someone yelling their names. "Julia! Ashleigh!" The voice was panicked. "Get in here!" A pause. Neither of the women moved or said anything. "Now!" The voice commanded._

 _Ashleigh put her hands up in the air. "Better go, before Henry kills us. What is it?' She called, hurrying away, with Julia close on her heels._

 _"They're on to us!" The man yelled. "We have to move fast. They might figure out how to counteract the effects."_

 _Ashleigh and Julia exchanged terrified glances. One human not susceptible to the effects of the Glysi could be disastrous._

 _They ran towards Henry on light feet._

 _They were not weighed down because neither of them wore space suits._


	10. Chapter 10

_The world spun, careening out of orbit, and the four children and one old man were the only ones who almost suspected what was really going on._

 _"How'd they find out?" Julia hissed._

 _Measures had been taken and the earth advanced towards the black blob faster. But still . . . they had time. And the earth couldn't move any faster without killing the inhabitents. And they didn't want that._

 _Ashleigh shrugged. "I don't know. We went through our plans a million times. They should have been foolproof."_

 _"Well," Julia said, taking a deep berath. "They don't have our . . ." She paused. "Our special bodies."_

 _Ashleigh glared at her. "Don't make us sound like we're freaks." She stopped. "Yet. They don't have them yet."_

 _Julia shook her head, looking out at the space around her. She wasn't wearing a space suit, neither was she attached to anything. She just floated, almost magically, Ashleigh thought, knowing she looked the same way._

 _Julia glanced up at Ashleigh, concerned. "Do you think they're Cahills?"_

 _Ashleigh laughed. "Not true ones, anyway." Her slim body shook with laughteer. "Look, the Cahills are too busy trying to make up after 500 plus years of fighting. I would know, because I'm a Janus. Right now, Cora Wizard, head of the Janus, is furious with her son for making peace with the 'Cahill brats', as she calls them." She shrugged. "Honestly, I don't even care. It's not as if they can do anything to the new me."_

 _Julia shook her head. "Not unless they find the . . . Glysi serum, the one that Gideon Cahill found."_

 _Ashleigh nodded. "Even then the Glysi had a hold on our earth. And even then they had humans working for them, studying under them."_

 _"He was scared of it." Julia said. "That's why he developed the other one, the one that kills you after a week. He wanted you to die with the knowledge. And that's why he took the serum. He wanted to die with the knowledge."_

 _Ashleigh stared at Julia. "But what about his children. Why'd he give some of the new serum to them?"_

 _Julia shrugged. "Who knows? So they wouldn't suspect, or something."_

 _"But the Glysi were still here, and when we started working for them, we discovered the original serum."_

 _Julia laughed. "And hid it in Fain Oaks for all our . . . helpers."_

 _Asheligh shook her head. "But . . . what's their names? Amy and Dan? But Amy and Dan could find it there too."_

 _Julia snorted. "They've had miminal training. They didn't even find out about their Madrigal heritage, or even get to the Gauntlet. We've got nothing to fear."_

 _Ashleigh nodded but she couldn't ignore the feeling in her gut that Julia was wrong._

oO0Oo

Somehow Nellie landed the plane safely, much to everyone's relief. The car they had found abandoned by the side of the road had just enough fuel to take them to the next car and that car to the next.

By hopping cars and using them until they ran out of fuel, they managed to make it safely to Fain Oaks.

Hundreds of stands of skeletal trees waved their naked branches in the cold, biting wind. "Great." Dan moaned. "We shouldn't be here too long at all. We just have to check like, what, ten trees? That shouldn't take more than fifteen minutes."

"Cut the sarcasm." Amy snapped. She didn't want to admit it, but she too was irriated. Maybe Ashleigh Gordon was a little smarter than she looked. "We need to be positive." She stated, mostly for her own benefit.

"Amy's right." Natalie said. "But Dan does have a point. All we know is 'Fain Oaks Hid'. Where are we supposed to look?"

Amy shrugged and looked around her at the haggard trees, once beautiful green monarchs, now starving peasants. "Split up?" She suggested.

Ian nodded. "Good idea. Amy, you and I will go this way." He gestured down a narrow path that looked cold and barren to Amy, but she kept her mouth shut. _Take one for the team, Amy_ She thought. "Natalie, you and Dan go that way." Ian commanded.

Dan glared at Amy, his eyes screaming, _Why are you letting him boss us around?_ Then he said, much to Amy's humiliation, "Why don't you two stay here and make out while we're gone?"

Natalie snorted and the two of them took off running, laughing all the way.

"Hey, Dan!" Amy called. "Why don't you tell Natalie about that picture you have behind your mirror?"

Dan paled. "Why were you snooping behind my mirror?"

Amy shrugged, grinning. "I don't know, maybe the same reason you snoop through my stuff." Halfway through her sentence her smile evaporated off her face.

Dan glared at her, and then stalked off, grabbing Natalie's hand and yanking her in their assigned direction.

Amy laughed and then turned to Ian. "Ready?" She asked.

Ian nodded, his eyes staring off into the distance. He started off down the trial that led deep into the Fain Oaks. "Have fun!" Nellie called after them. "I'll stay in the car."

Amy nodded and then ran after Ian, nearly running to keep up with Ian's fast stride.

They had only been walking for a few minutes when said, "There." He pointeed at a tall, thick tree, which dominated the landscape.

Amy arched an eyebrow. "How do you know?"

Ian snorted. "We're talking about _Ashleigh Gordon_ here, and she's a model, so she's not very smart. She'd either hide it in the tallest or smallest tree. The smallest trees are barely more than twigs stuck in the ground, so I assumed she'd pick the tallest tree."

Amy shrugged. "I guess it makes sense." She paused. "And we don't really have anything else to go on right now."

Ian nodded. "So that would mean that we go to-"

Amy cut him off. "That tree." She finished, pointing to the largest tree. It stood head and shoulders above the rest of the forest, the monarch of all, the king of kings. "Let's go." She said.

They took off running towards the huge tree. When they reached it, Amy was surprised to see Dan and Natalie already there.

"Hey." Natalie said.

"Yo!" Dan greeted. "Look we just have to climb up five hundred plus feet to get that little knot hole . . . or whatever you call it, up there." He gestured towards the tree. "Not at all hard."

Amy scanned the tall trunk until she spotted the small knot hole Dan was speaking of. It was small, a tiny crevice, but it seemed to have been deliberately placed in the bark of the tree and something was up there. She just knew it.

Ian cleared his throat. "Who knows how to climb trees?" He looked down at his fancy pants, which he insisted on calling trousers. "I'll tear my trousers if I do that." He said. "These are custom made."

Amy gritted her teeth.

Ian and Natalie turned to glance at Dan. "No!" His voice cracked. "Not me, please!" He looked so forlorn, Amy reflected, with his baggy jeans and twiggy arms. His thin body quivered, although Amy could see he was trying to hide it.

Amy shook her head, biting her lip. "No. Not him."

Natalie turned to her, arching an eyebrow. She wore a delicate flowered sundress with leggings and tall boots. "Are you suggesting you do it? I couldn't climb, you people would see up my dress and plus, it would tear."

Amy inhaled. "I'll do it."

Ian looked at her, astonished. She pulled him aside and gestured at Dan. "Look at him."

He looked at Dan and nodded. "Alright." Ian said. "Go ahead." With one arm, he gestured towards the tree."

Amy scanned the tree again. "Ladder, anyone?" She said. "Cuz I'm not just going to wrap my arms around the trunk and shinny up."

Ian snorted. "You missed something Amy." Grabbing her arm, he pulled her closer to the tree. "Look."

Small chunks of the tree were carved out of the thick turnk. "What's that?" She asked, running slender fingers over the carvings.

"This." Ian said, pushing Amy away. He then began to rapidly hit first one and then another mark, as if they were letters on a keyboard.

Suddenly, as he hit the mark that looked suspiciously like an elongated flash-drive, something whistled down from the top of the tree, hitting Amy on the head. "Ow!" She cried. "What is that?"

"So." Ian said, his accent clipping the words. "Ready to climb?"

A rope ladder hung from the tree.

"How'd you do that?" Amy asked.

"It's an old Lucian code." Ian smirked. "I'm not telling you what it is, unless you tell me what branch you're in."

"No deal." Amy said, hating that she was ignorent of this one useful fact.

"Climb then." Ian said. "And good luck . . . love."

oO0Oo

It was beyond terrifying, swinging two hundred plus feet above the ground, clinging on to a flimsy rope ladder, with Ian's haunting last words echoing in her ear. _Good luck . . . love_. She got the good luck, but what about the _love_?

Amy shuddered, braced herself and let go with her left hand, reaching above her head to grab the rung above her. Pulling her foot up to the next rung, she breathed a huge sigh of relief, feeling safe . . . for the moment.

It was horrifying to let go, even if it was only for a second, to grab the next rope section and lift herself up.

"Ian!" Amy heard herself wail. "I can't do this!"

Ian's voice was even and strong, despite faint, as he called up to her, "Keep going! You _can_ do it and you _will._ Amy, you're a Cahill. Be strong."

Her body shook and fear coiled itself around her. "I can't! Dan! Ian! Please!" Her hands trembled and she almost fell off the ladder.

The ground beneath her seemed to wobble, shake and grow closer.

"Keep going." Dan yelled. _Dan. Dan._

What would Dan do if she fell, down, down, down to her death? What would happen to him? Would he keep on living?

She pictured herself a bloody heap on the ground, every bone in her body broken. She saw Dan bending over her, tears streaming down his face, screaming.

If she couldn't keep going for herself, she could keep going for Dan. "I have to go on." Amy told herself.

She thought of her brother, so far below, watching and probably terrifed that she would plummet to her death and she smiled. Dan was so brave. If she were on the ground and Dan were up here, she would be sobbing her heart out. Instead, Dan was telling her to be brave and keep going.

Strength flooded through her arms. Amy pried her hand off the rung she was currently gripping and reached for the next one. The wave of strength that washed over her washed away the fear and with renewed strenght, Amy began ascending again.

When she reached the small hole, she gasped. There were more carvings, but this time they made sense. The letters spelled out words that were very, very familar to a Cahill.

"Clues!" Amy shrieked. "Dan, Ian, Natalie, guys, there's clues up here!"


	11. Chapter 11

_Zinc_

 _Magnesium_

 _Gold_

 _Iron Solute_

 _Water_

 _Lily_

 _Honey_

 _Yes, she had them all. Ashleigh Gordon dumped a teaspoon of each in a beaker and began to mix it together. They needed their next dose of Gideon Cahill's Glysi serum if they were going to stay alive in space._

 _They no longer needed air constantly, in fact, it had been five months since Ashleigh Gordon had last breathed normally._

 _They could live for five months without oxygen, but today they would each inhale a small tank of the life giving gas and then go another five months._

 _She smiled as she dumped the last ingredient in the last beaker and shook it up. "Come and get your vitamins, guys." She said, laughing at the bunch that heartily trooped in and guzzled the gloopy mix._

 _Ashleigh sipped her own mix slowly, reflecting on the fact that they were now superhuman._

 _And all of them knew it._

oO0Oo

"What?" Ian called up to Amy. "Which ones?"

Amy suddenly gulped. What if these were clues that Ian didn't have? What if after the famine, after they saved the world, if they saved the world, they went back to hunting the clues and they had unwittingly helped the Kabras?

They had already found these clues, but what if the Kabras had not?

Amy swallowed her worries and called down, "Yes, like, the thirty-nine clues."

The cry that emitted from the three on the ground grated against Amy's ears. "What?" She hadn't known they could be so loud. Amy could only imagine how loud Natalie's shriek was down there.

"How do they know about the clues?" Natalie yelled.

Amy winced. Dan's eardrums were probably broken by this time.

"Because," Ian yelled, most likely so that she could be part of the conversation, at least, Amy assumed, or, he was just excited. "They're obviously Cahills!" Ian paused. "What are the clues?"

Amy swallowed. "Zinc. Magnesium. Gold." Amy blushed as she remembered _gold_.

"Gold?" Dan said. "Hey, remember that one, Ian?"

If Amy hadn't been so tightly gripping the ladder, she would have hid her face in her hands. Dan was such an idiot.

Ian cleared his throat. "Is that it?"

Amy shook her head, then remembered that no one could see her. "No. There's a couple more. Iron solute, water, lily, honey. That's it. Can I come down now?'

"Yes." Dan yelled up at her. "I got them covered. Now get down now before you kill yourself."

"Sheesh." Amy said, "I didn't know you could be such a boss."

"What was that?" Dan asked.

Amy smiled. "Nothing." She began descending the ladder. Her arms shook terribly and her fingers vibrated, so that she could barely hold on to the ladder. Step by step, second by second, she descended the wobbly ladder, the ground dancing menacingly beneath her.

oO0Oo

When she somehow safely reached the bottom, Ian grabbed her by the waist and swung her around in a circle. "Good job, love!" He congratulated.

Amy looked down at the solid ground and at Ian's hand still around her waist. "Thanks." She said. "I was terrrified."

"I know." Dan said, pushing Ian aside. Ian's hands quickly dropped from Amy's waist, causing her to blush. "I could hear it in your voice. You sounded like you were about to cry."

"I did?" Was Ian just taking pity on her? Did he only congratulate her to try and cheer her up?

"Yes." Natalie said. "Ian was worried."

Ian smacked her. "I was not. I knew you could take care of yourself."

Amy smiled at Ian. "Really? Thanks."

Dan snorted. "I knew that a long time ago."

Amy smiled at Dan, at the jealous way he stared at Ian. Was he afraid Ian would take his place? "Thanks, dweeb." She said, trying to give him a hug.

Dan pushed her away. "Yuck. That's gross."

Amy rolled her eyes. "Fine then." She smirked and winked at Ian. "Ian, you would give me a hug, wouldn't you?" She changed her facial expression to that of a pleading child. "And my own brother won't."

Ian looked startled. Dan looked at Ian and then at Amy, pure confusion on his gaunt face. Suddenly, Amy was wrapped in a hug, by both Ian and Dan. Ian's face was buried in her, mumbling something and Dan was hesitantly touching her, looking disgusted with himself.

"Well. . . " Natalie said. "This is awkward."

Amy untangled one arm from Dan and held it out. "Then join us." She said.

Natalie did, hugging all of them- both Amy and Dan, her hand gently brushing Ian's back.

"Gag overload." Dan said.

They laughed. The four stared in the position for several minutes, enjoying being close to each other. The spell was broken, however, when Nellie yelled, "Guys, where are you? It's freezing out here!"

Amy took one last whiff of Ian-of his cologne, of him and pulled away.

Dan smiled and began running towards Nellie's voice. "Race you!" He called.

Natalie smirked and said, "You're on, buddy." She easily overtook him, her feet hitting the ground and lifting off, passing him easily, like how a bird sails past a lizard.

Dan stopped after about five hundred feet and said, "You win."

Amy could see that he was exhausted but was too embarrased to say anything. At least he had gotten his pride back.

Ian turned to Amy, a signature smirk on his handsome face. "Race you." He said, arching an eyebrow.

Amy smiled at him and took off, her feet pounding on the frozen ground. She could hear Ian coming after her, so she pushed her legs to faster, feeling as if she was flying.

The naked trees flashed by. Amy could hear Ian yelling, "Amy, you win!" But she kept running. She had forgotten the thrill of pumping your legs, of being short on air, pushing your body.

She reached Nellie, who was staring her as if she was an alien. "Hi, Nellie." She said, wrapping the ex-au pair in a huge hug.

Ian reached her, all play gone from his face. "Amy. We need to call Dr. Luke."

Amy stared at him. "Why?"

Ian sighed. "Even if he is a duck, he still knows more about the Lucians than I do and he might be able to tell us something."

He dialed the number and put the phone on speaker.

While it was ringing, Natalie and Dan arrived, laughing. Amy told them what was going on and the smiles evaporated off their faces.

Finally Dr. Luke answered. "Hello?" He sounded old and tired.

"Hello, Dr. Luke." Ian blushed. "We're sorry for hanging up earlier."

Dr. Luke sighed. "It's fine. I would do the same thing if I was you. What do you want?" He sounded out of breath, as if he had been running.

Dan snatched the phone. "We went to this Fain Oaks place and we found some clues in a tree."

"Clues?" Dr. Luke asked, his voice suddenly cleared and less tired. "What were they?" Suddenly his voice was urgent.

Ian and Amy exchanged nervous glances.

"Zinc. Magnesium. Gold." Dan recited. "Iron solute. Water. Lily. Honey."

Dr. Luke gasped.

"What is it?" Amy cried.

"I was afraid this would happen." Dr. Luke said. "Children, all you need to know is that you are in greater danger than you realize."

"But what does those clues mean?"

"It's a serum. Ancient. From Gideon Cahill's time. The Glysi . . . " he paused, as if he was embarrassed, "never mind, it enables you to live without air for a long time. Months. Maybe even years."

Ian exploded. "Why didn't I know about this?" He looked hurt. "I'm second in line for the Lucian branch. Why didn't I know?" He repeated.

Amy felt sorry, but the fact that Ian didn't know scared her. Ian knew everything about his branch, the bad people, the good, those who had found clues, those who hadn't, those who lied, cheated, stole, in order to get what they wanted. he knew what year the Lucians had started calling themselves Lucians. How did he not know about this?

"Tell us more." Dan said.

"No." Dr. Luke said. "I cannot. For that is all I know."

"No, you know more!" Ian cried.

Dr. Luke sighed. "I will tell you this, you need to find whoever has taken this serum and destroy them." Dr. Luke hung up.

Ian stared at the phone in Dan's hand, his shoulders slouched. He looked similar to a young child who has lost his mother in the grocery. He looked how Dan did when they had received the news of Grace's death.

All Amy wanted to do was wrap him in a hug.

But she couldn't. She couldn't make herself do it. She wanted to tell him that it didn't matter.

But it did matter. If he had known this, they could have been able to figure things out without the help of the crazy old man.

Mixed feelings washed over her. Resentment. Worry. Attraction.

She looked at Ian, saw his hurt, his pain and she saw how much he needed her. How much she needed him. And right at that moment she knew.


	12. Chapter 12

Amy knew that she loved Ian Kabra. The murky gray sky, with dirty clouds and the howling cold wind did not seem like a romantic moment to realize you love someone, but Amy didn't care.

Suddenly, all she wanted to do was be near him, touch him, let him hold her and take away his pain. But she was too shy.

"Why don't we take the serum?" She asked.

"No." Nellie said.

"Why?" Amy asked.

Nellie shrugged. "It might have side effects."

Natalie snorted. "Like what, being able to walk at the speed of light? I wouldn't mind not having to breathe."

Dan snorted. "Yeah, because honey and water together have disastrous effects."

Ian shuddered. "Mother." His voice was low, terrible, husky with emotion.

Amy and Dan stared at him.

Natalie gasped. "In the end, she couldn't get enough air."

Ian nodded, his face twisted with an emotion that was all to familar to Amy: grief. "When I saw her lyin gin her bed, dying, her face twisted in pain, unable to take in a single breath that didn't hurt, if there had been something for me to give her, I would have done it." His voice cracked and he inhaled sharply. "Even though she was evil, she was my mother, and I love her."

Tears streamed down his cheeks. Amy felt a twinge of pain. She too, had felt the pain of grief in her life and suddenly, before she knew what she was doing, her arms were around Ian and she was crying.

Nellie arched an eyebrow in Amy's direction. "What do we do?" She asked, to no one in particular.

Natalie sighed, looked at her dress and then shrugged. She plopped down to the ground. "Nothing." She cried. "There's nothing for us to do."

"Nothing." Dan said. "We have to go back." And suddenly he was screaming, flailing on the ground. "I wont go back! I won't! I don't want to do."

"No, Dan, no, we won't die!" Amy said, running over to her brother, trying to pull him off the ground. In her weakened state, she couldn't. She fell to the ground next to him.

She thought back to their life, how they'd been left, abandoned, so many times. Tears streamed down her cheeks and she grabbed her brother, hugging him, telling him, "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."

And then it began to rain. The skies opened up and a soft drizzle began to pour down. Amy leaned over her brother, trying to shield him from the pouring rain.

She couldn't. Her body was too weak; she felt herself collapsing on top of him. She fetl strong hands lifting her, heard a murmur of excited voices, but she was too far gone to care.

When she awoke, she was out of the rain and lying on the plane floor. It was night, or at least, it would have been night back before the famine, because the sky was dark. Nowadays it was to tell, but Amy decided that it was probably night.

Dan was lying next to her, his eyes open, staring at nothing.

Ian was standing over her, a forlorn expression on his face." I _can't_ do nothing." He said. "I need to do something, something to stop this hurt and pain and _hunger_. It's everywhere, everywhere I look, even in my own family. But if I help, I'll starve."

Then he turned and strode away, his voice showing how helpless he really felt.

Amy blinked. The Ian she knew didn't say that. The Ian she knew didn't notice the world outside of the mud on his llaama wool trouser pants.

But it was true. They were all helpless, every last person on the world. They were at the mercy of the people in the sky who had probably taken the serum.

But what did they want with the starving earth? Were they planning to kill of 100K plus occupants so they could live on a frozen, resource-less earth? Blackmail a population that had nothing to give?

They were at the mercy of those who had no mercy.

As Amy lay on the ground, she looked over at her brother. He was so small and looked so helpless, lying on the diry floor. "Ian?" She said, attempting to get up. "Ian?"

He strode into the room, holding a vial of something in his hand. "Here." He said, handing her the vial. "It's the serum. I already took it and I know you will too."

Amy took it, staring at the murky contents. Should she listen to Nellie and throw it away? Or be a rebel and down it, hoping for the best?

Then she remembered the clue hunt. What worked was winging it and hoping for the best.

And then she remembered Irina. She remembered burning flesh, Irina's last cry. Amy glanced at her brother.

What would Irina think of them if they died before they had tried this? And even if the serum killed her, she would eventually die anyway.

Irina's death would not be in vain. Amy thought. There was no reason for Irina to have died to save them, if they could not do the same.

Dan. She looked over at him. He could become another Irina, another Isabel, another loved one dead. And she couldn't do that to him, not without knowing that they'd tried.

She pulled at the cork at the top of the bottle. It came off with a loud _pop_. Staring down into the murky liquid, she made her decision. Raising the bottle to Ian, she held it to her mouth.


	13. Chapter 13

Amy tilted the bottle back, letting the slimy liquid run down her throat. She didn't care what happened to her, just as long as she had a chance. A chance to save Dan. A chance to save herself. A chance to save the world. A chance to . . . love Ian.

The mixture tasted nasty. Amy could taste the honey, but everything else was a foreign mixture. It was spicy and metallic, like licking a pool ladder.

Amy shuddered as the last drop slid down her throat.

She looked up at Ian. "Has anything happened to you yet?" She asked.

Ian shook his head. "I took mine two seconds before you did."

Amy swallowed, trying to get the taste of the serum out of her mouth. "Ian." She shuddered. "I'm scared."

Ian nodded. "Me too."

They said nothing, just sat on the floor, breathing, waiting for something to happen.

Exactly ten minutes later, Ian choked on the breath of air he was inhaling. He screamed and began flailing on the floor.

Amy's eyes widened and she stepped out of the way of Ian's booted foot as it swung wildly towards her.

Part of her wanted to laugh at the hot rich Brit rolling around on the floor. But the other part of her screamed, "That will be me next!"

Exactly two minutes after Ian started, Amy felt her throat and chest constrict. She grabbed wildly at her chest and neck, clawing, trying to ease the pain.

She felt herself rolling, but with every movement the pain grew until it was a horrible monster that threatened to knock her out.

She welcomed the blackness and reached for it, her hand shaking. But it wouldn't come. The dark was right in front of her eyes but no matter how far she reached she couldn't get it.

And then it stopped. Amy sat up. Ian sat staring at her. "Is that what I looked like?" He asked.

Amy nodded, embarrassed. "That hurt." She said.

And the she gasped. "Ian? Are you breathing right now?" Even while she spoke she felt no puff of air come out of her mouth. Her voice sounded the same, not like the time she'd held her breath for two minutes.

Ian placed his hand over his nose and mouth. His eyes traveled up to meet hers. "No." He said.

"So it works." Amy said. "We're invincible. No one can drown us."

Ian frowned. "We can't be. It's impossible."

Amy glanced around the tiny cabin, hoping she would find what she was looking for. She spotted a shard of glass lying on the floor near the window and jumped to it. "Let's see." She said.

Gripping the glass in one hand, she drew the sharp point over her skin. Ian jumped. "Amy, no!"

Amy's eyes widened, partly from terror, and partly from astonishment. Blood, which had before been running out of the wound, traveled backwards into it. They stared in astonishment as the skin pulled itself back together, visibly knitting the ends together.

After about thirty seconds, Amy's arm looked the same as it had before.

"Give me that!" Ian said, snatching the glass and running it over his arm. The same thing happened.

Amy looked up to meet Ian's eyes as realization dawned. "We could jump off the Eiffel Tower and land on our heads and it would fix itself." She said.

"Whatever you took." Dan said, shocking both of them as they looked up to see him standing over them. "Give it to me."

Amy and Ian jumped up from their crouch on the floor. "How'd you . . ." Ian said.

"You were sleeping!" Amy said.

Dan snorted. "Like I'm not going to notice both of moaning and thrashing about like you're zombies awakening from the dead."

Amy and Ian glanced at each sheepishly. If they had known the results, they would have done it in a different room.

"Give me some." Dan said.

"No." Amy and Ian said.

"Or I'll tell Nellie . . ." Dan threatened.

Ian shook his head. "No."

"We will! We will!" Amy said.

"What's so bad about Nellie finding out?" Ian asked.

Amy shuddered. "Remember the paint glue, Dan?"

"Paint . . . glue?" Ian asked.

Dan smirked. "How could I ever forget."

"What was the paint glue?" Ian asked.

Amy blushed. "Nothing."

" _I'll_ tell Nellie myself if you don't tell me!" Ian said.

Amy sighed. "Ok . . . so, I was repainting our apartment, this was right after Nellie had got hired, and Dan decided to play a prank. It was white paint, so he put glue in it. Lots and lots of glue."

Ian groaned. "Why am I not surprised? Your stupidity, Dan, will always be counted on."

Amy rolled her eyes. "And then Nellie walks into the room right as I figure out what he did, mostly because the paintbrush wouldn't come off the wall."

Ian snorted.

Dan frowned. "Do I get some now?"

Amy looked at Ian. "Why not." She said.

Just then, Natalie came bouncing into the room. "Hey, guys." She said. "What's up?"

"They took the serum." Dan blurted. "Without us."

"What?" Natalie yelled. "Why?"

Nellie walked into the room. "What are you guys talking about?" She asked, glaring at all of them suspiciuosly.

"We were just about the paint glue. Remember that?" Amy asked.

Nellie groaned. "How could I forget?" She looked at the Kabras. "I'm sure they told you the story, but here's my version. So here I am, sitting on the couch, minding my own beeswax and eating the most amazing chocolate filled croissant _ever,_ when all of a sudden I hear this shriek. So I'm like, _'hmm, maybe Amy's beating up on Dan_.' Boy was I wrong. So I like, get up and go in there, and like, Amy's trying to pull this paintbrush off the wall, but it's like, stuck, like, with glue. And Dan's in the corner laughing his butt off and I'm like 'what the heck guys, don't you know how to behave?' And Amy's like 'my brush is stuck to the wall' and I'm like 'no duh'." Nellie paused, taking in a huge breath.

"And then you started yelling." Amy said.

Dan smirked. "And then Miss Crybaby over here started sobbing."

Nellie snorted. "And then I was like, 'what the heck, Amy, you're fourteen, act like it.'." Nelli shook her head. "I could deal with the clue hunt, the running away, the disapapearing for long hours, the murderous relatives, the betraying relatives, the heartbreaking relatives," She cast the Kabras a dirty with each phrase, "But not the fourteen year old sobbing like she's two."

Amy sighed. "Well, what I was supposed to do. I knew you'd get mad at me, and, what was our au pair before that, Dan? Gertel, Gretel?"

"Gretel." Dan said. "If we made an ounce of noise she yelled, and it scared Amy."

"She said bad words." Amy said.

Dan snorted. "Like I didn't use them already."

Natalie rolled her eyes. "It's different when they're being yelled at you. It's like if you're saying, 'What the fuck, that did not just happen', to your bookshelf, but if your au pair is yelling 'What the fuck did you do here!'."

Amy nodded. "Exactly."

Nellie stretched lazily. "Where do you guys want to go tomorrow, back to England?"

The four exchanged glances. "No." Ian said.

"We want to stay one more day and see what we can figure out." Amy said.

Natalie folded her hands neatly and smiled up at Nellie. "Please?"

Nellie sighed. "Teach Amy and Dan manners like that and you got yourself a deal." She grabbed her purse and pulled out a granola bar. "I'm going to go sit on the ground."

Natalie blinked. "Why?"

"Because there's no water on it, duh." Nellie walked out of the plane and plunked down outside the cabin.

Amy looked at Dan. "She thinks we're up to something."

Dan frowned. "And I'll confirm her suspicions if you don't give me and Natalie some of that serum, _now_."


	14. Chapter 14

Dan and Natalie sat next to each other, holding the serum, eyeing it suspiciously. "Are you sure you put the correct ingredients in here?" Dan asked.

"Yes!" Ian said. "I did. Now quit worrying and drink it before Nellie comes back."

Natalie stared at the gloppy solution which quivered in the vial as she shook it. "The honey makes this like goo."

"Goo?" Dan said, eyeing the mixture with a newfound love. He tilted back his head and downed the serum in one gulp.

Natalie shuddered. "Dan, how you do that astounds me. I can't even eat aspargus. And it doesn't help that this is the same color or anything."

"Just drink it." Dan said. "It tastes like licking a pool ladder."

Natalie choked. "What?"

"Have you done that, Daniel?" Ian asked.

"Yes, he has." Amy answered for him. "He dared me to try it too, and that's exactly what the serum tasted like when I drank it."

Dan leaned back against the shredded seat. "How long did you say this took?"

"Ten minutes." Ian said. "Exactly ten."

Natalie closed her eyes, opened her mouth, plugged her nose and dumped the entire vial into her mouth. She swallowed. "Yech." She said. "If that's what a pool ladder tastes like, I . . . I kind of like it."

"Right?" Dan squealed. "The metallic taste is sooo good, especially when you do it underwater and you get the chlorine taste in it too."

Amy stared at Dan, leaning slightly away from him. "Okaaaaay . . . " She said. "I did not know that about you."

"If this ever ends," Dan announced. "We are taking you guy to a public pool and you are licking the ladder."

Ian gagged. "I'm not."

Amy laughed. "I'm afraid you're going to have too, Ian. When Dan says something, people usually do it."

Ian shook his head. "No. I refuse."

The four sat in total silence, waiting for the results of the serum to kick in, hoping that Nellie would stay outside for just a little longer.

Dan suddenly clutched at his throat. His fingers curled into bird-like talons, scratching at his eyes, mouth, nose, his chest. His eyes were wide-open, staring at them, pleading with them to help him.

No one moved.

Amy screamed inwardly, wanting to go help her brother. Dan's breaths were stopping. He sounded like he was in one of his terrible asthma attacks, except, Amy thought, ten times worse.

Her fingers longed to reach out and give him his inhaler. But she couldn't.

Dan screeched, clawing at his shoulders. His back arched and he sat forward, eyes and mouth open. Natalie dodged Dan's foot.

And then Natalie yelped and began yanking at her hair.

Ian stared. "I really hope I didn't look like this."

Amy shook her head. "You didn't. You looked ten times worse."

Ian groaned. "I have a reputation to hold up."

Amy placed her hand on Ian's shoulder. "No, you have the world to save. Then you can worry about your reputation."

Ian nodded. "You're right." Their eyes met and held for a long moment.

The cabin door flew open and Nellie swooshed in. "Guys, what are you playing in here. I mean, I'm glad and all that you're having fun but it sounds like-" He gaze landed on Dan and Natalie writhing on the floor. "It sounds like death." She finished.

Then she whirled on Amy. "You took the serum and gave it to him, didn't you. That's why you were talking about the paint glue, wasn't it?"

Amy said nothing.

Nellie turned to Ian, her fury growing. Her eyes flashed fire and her face was red like an overripe tomato. "You're supposed to be responsible. Why would you let them do this? These are my kiddos! They're all I've got Ian, and now look at Dan. What did you do to him?" Her voice cracked and she sank to the floor sobbing. "All I wanted to do was protect you, and I can't even do that."

Amy looked at Ian. He nodded. "Nellie." She said, trying to keep her voice calm. "We didn't do it for selfish reasons. Remember Irina?"

"Yes." Nellie said, her teeth clenched.

Amy took a deep breath. "We did it for the same reason she died. To help others. Nellie, we were at a dead end, there was nothing we could do except this."

Nellie stared at her. "You didn't want Irina to have died in vain."

Amy blinked. "Well . . . yes, that too."

Nellie's back straightened. "Give me some too. I want to help."

oO0Oo

Twenty-five minutes later, Nellie sat up and ran her fingers through her messier-than-usual neon hair. "Please tell me I didn't do what I saw Dan and Natalie doing."

Natalie snorted. "I just hope I didn't look like you did."

Nellie glared. "You did. I saw it."

"How'd you know what you looked like?" Natalie shrieked. "You didn't even see yourself."

Dan rolled his eyes. "Just shut up, Natalie. She's saying you looked dumb. We all did. But now we're going to save the world."

"I'm not breathing!" Nellie screeched, placing her hand in front of her mouth. "And when I talk I don't feel air come out of my mouth."

Amy nodded. "We know. And now we can go up in space and destroy all those who have also taken the serum."

She stood up and stretched lazily. "Are you guys hungry?" She asked, "Because I'm not."

Then she saw Dan. His skin was ruddy, his eyes were a glowing jade green, much more vibrant than they had been for a long time. He had filled out too. "Dan." Amy said, her voice trembling. "Have you seen yourself?"

Dan glanced down at himself, his eyes widening. He held a hand up in front of his eyes. "Look at my hand." He said. "I can see the muscles in my hand. In my _hand._ Hands don't have muscles."

Amy glanced down at herself. Bending down, she rolled the legs of her jeans up. Her calves rippled with new muscle. Where before there had been bone, with flappy skin, there was now muscles and a perfectly shaped leg.

Ian blinked. "Oh my gosh, Amy. That's what Ashleigh Gordon's leg looked like."

Amy quickly unrolled her jeans, yanking the hem back down to her ankle.

"No," Ian said. "That's not what I meant, but . . . Ashleigh Gordon must have taken the serum even when she was on the earth and that's why everyone loved her. That's why she was so perfect. Not because of her own body, but because of the serum."

Natalie stared at Ian. "How much did you stare at Ashleigh's legs?"

Ian blushed. "Ok, a lot, I'll tell you that."

"Roll up your sleeve, Ian." Amy commanded, slightly disgusted at Ian's confession.

"Why?" Ian asked. He blinked and then nodded. "Oh . . . I see."

Amy stared. Ian's arm was . . . perfect.

"Oh my gosh." Nellie said. "Ian, if you weren't so young I'd bang you right now."

Ian gagged. "Absolutely not."

"I've always wanted a perfect body." Nellie said, staring down at herself. "And I think I have it."

"We all do." Amy said. "Now let's go see what we can do."

As she stood up, Natalie stared. "Amy . . . um, I think you need to . . . go to the bathroom."

Amy stared back at Natalie, confused. "Why?"

"Because . . . " Natalie said, grimacing. "There's blood all over your . . . groin." Natalie turned dark red as she spoke.

Amy's eyes widened and she glanced down. A dark red was seeping from her groin down her thighs. "Oh my god." Amy said. She ran for the bathroom.

Halfway there she turned around. "Natalie . . . can I borrow some of your . . . hygiene products."

"Don't you have your own?" Dan was staring at her like she was an alien from another planet.

"No!" Amy cried. "I haven't had a period in over a year. And I've never had one this bad before." Her eyes wide, she bit her lip. "What is the serum doing to me?"

Nellie stared at Amy. "You haven't a period in a year?"

"Over a year." Amy said. "My body was shutting down."

Ian looked at Amy, his mouth open. "Ummm . . . Amy. Just go to the bathroom before you stain our floor."

Amy could feel the blood as it poured out of her; it felt as though all of her blood was being drained from her body.

Natalie shook her head. "Amy. I have never seen anyone lose blood that fast before. I think the serum is enhancing your body."

"Obviously." Amy said.

"But I think . . . " Natalie paused. "I think that your body has extra blood."

Amy stared. "You mean I could supply a bunch of people enough blood to last them a long time?"

Natalie nodded. "Not just a bunch of people. A whole nation with your same blood type."

Amy shook her head. "We're superhuman, Natalie."

"No." Natalie shook her head. "Our body is fixing itself, repairing itself, making extra blood, renewing old cells. We're immortal."


	15. Chapter 15

The wind lashed wildly against the plane. The waves of the angry ocean beneath the plane tossed and thrashed about, sending spray flying high into the air.

 _So the oceans aren't all frozen,_ Nellie thought. _I wonder who got that rumor started._ She frowned. "Maybe the people in space, whoever they are."

Amy and Dan, with some help from the Kabras had explained to Nellie what was going on and filled in some cracks. Nellie now understood why they had taken the serum but she still wished they hadn't.

She had heard rumors (once again, rumors, were they even true?) saying that Gideon Cahill's serum, the 39 Clues, were deadly, and would kill you within a week if you took it.

She could only hope that this serum would not do the same thing. But if not, then at least they would know they had tried when they went to their deaths.

She shuddered the wind tried to tear the plane from her grasp, tried to send it spiraling over the ocean, down into the deep dark blackness that would kill them.

She yanked desperately at the throttle, trying to control the small craft.

They had been lucky to have gotten enough fuel to get back. What Nellie hadn't told them was that they had _just enough_ to get back and land safely, no more, no less.

And the wind was angry with them, ready to kill them before they were even halfway across the angry ocean.

Shuddering, Nellie yanked back on the throttle, trying to slow their speed. If she could just use the force of the wind to their advantage . . .

oO0Oo

Once back in Great Britian, Nellie and the two sibling pairs settled down in the Kabra mansion, trying to figure out what to do next.

They were at a complete dead end. After having taken the serum, they were unsure of what to do next.

"What if we try to fly out into space?" Dan asked.

Amy frowned. That would require money and food, for a long time and right now they barely had enough for the five of them.

The Kabras were being very generous, sharing what little they had and what little they could get, but there was still not enough to go around.

However, with their serum induced bodies, the five found they could take turns eating. Each day, it would be one person's turn to eat.

Ian shook his head. "Sorry, Dan. That wouldn't work. We don't have enough money to go up into space. We don't have enough food to go into space. The _world_ doesn't have enough."

"But what about us? We took the serum. If the _world_ couldn't do it, it doesn't mean _we_ can't." Nellie pointed out.

"True." Ian said. "Very true. But we can't test the limits. If we fail, I don't want to think about what will happen to the world. "

Amy stood up and began pacing, her bare feet sinking down into the Kabra's carpet. The muscles in her legs were tense, eager, ready to spring. "I need to do something." She said. "I need to move."

Nellie nodded. "For the first time in my life, I want to go jogging."

Natalie rolled her eyes. "Good thing you took the serum, Nellie."

Nellie narrowed her eyes. "Was that an insult?"

Amy laughed. "She just called you fat."

Natalie shot Amy a look. "I thought you hated your au pair."

"I do. But it's never nice to call someone fat."

"You hate me?"

"Of course. You're the mother figure in my life. All teenage girls hate their mothers." Amy grinned cheesily at Nellie.

Nellie did not grin back.

"Look, Nedda, she was kidding." Ian said.

"It's Nellie." Nellie shot out, gritting her teeth.

"Whatever."

Dan frowned. His fingers were rapidly drumming the arm of the chair he sat in. "I need to do something." He said. " _Anything_ would be better than just sitting around."

"Then why don't we do something?" Nellie suggested. "We could all work out. Enhance the serum's abilities while we figure out what to do."

Amy looked at Natalie. "Do you know what _work out_ means?"

Natalie scrunched up her nose. "I think so. It means you work out of the house, away from your home, hence, the 'out', coupled with the word 'work'."

Dan snorted. "You did not just say that."

Amy was doubled over, her face scrunched with laughter. She straightened, patting Natalie on the back. "It's ok, Natalie. It's ok." Then she fell to the ground again.

Ian groaned. "This, dear sister, is why we don't fraternize with Americans. Your answer was logical, although in American slang, 'work out' means to exercise one's body until it is lean and fit."

Natalie glared at the two siblings, and one au pair, writhing on the floor in fits of laughter. "Why didn't they say so, then?"

Ian shrugged. "They're American. That's the only excuse needed."

Natalie rolled her eyes. "I guess you're probably right."

Five minutes later, after many tears of mirth were shed, the Cahills wiped their eyes and straightened up.

Dan stretched, and plopped down on the chair. "That felt so good. Let's go," he paused, giving Natalie a smirk, " _work out_."

Nellie started laughing again, and Dan joined in.

Amy held up a hand. "That was funny five minutes ago. I think we're done now."

Natalie shot Amy a grateful look and then said. "So, if we're going to _work out,_ why don't we decide what type of exercise to do?"

"Yoga." Nellie said.

"Kickboxing." Dan suggested.

"I was thinking more of fencing." Ian put in.

Natalie frowned. "How about a jog?"

Amy groaned. "How about we do all of them, since we have nothing else to do."

"Kickboxing first!" Dan said. "I want to cream this Kabra's pants off."

Ian gasped in mock horror. "Why do you want my pants off?"

Natalie groaned. "Ian, you know perfectly well what that phrase means."

Ian smirked. "Of course I do."

oO0Oo

Dan could not believe how good Ian was. When Ian had suggested _f_ _encing_ Dan had almost laughed. But if fencing was what Ian had done for his physical recreation (as Ian probably called it) before the famines, then Dan was going to have to pick it up.

Ian's reflexes were amazing.

Dan made a move and Ian blocked it almost before Dan had time to finish.

What started as a slow, controlled fight had no erupted into a nasty fight-to-the-death skirmish.

Dan kicked at Ian's groin, but instead his foot connected with Ian's shin and he leaped back, howling in pain.

How had Ian hurt him with his shin?

He was panting, but Ian was still going strong.

Ian lunged forward, a malicious gleam in his amber eyes. Dan knew he was over right before Ian struck.

He felt himself hit the floor. Staring up into Ian's eyes, he said, "You win.", and then everything went black.

oO0Oo

"Where did you learn to fight like that?" Amy asked, surprised that Ian had managed to take Dan down so quickly.

Ian shrugged. "Fencing."

Dan groaned. "I want to take fencing."

"Hey, Ian didn't kill you!" Nellie cheerily announced. Then she smirked at Amy. "Your turn."

"I don't fight." Amy said, "Sorry."

Ian arched a dark eyebrow and brushed a strand of sweaty hair out of his eyes. "You mean, you don't want to lose?"

Amy stared back, sensing Ian's challenge. Some part of her snapped. "No. I'll be right back. Let me change into something I can move in first."

Natalie followed Amy upstairs and Amy whispered, "I need some poison. Please tell me you still have some."

Natalie smiled. "We're going to turn you into a Lucian. I'm very proud of you."

Amy smiled sheepishly. "Actually, I just don't want _Ian_ to beat me."

Natalie arched an eyebrow. "What do you think about Ian?"

The question caught Amy off-guard. "What do I think about Ian? What do you mean?"

Natalie smiled, not unpleasantly. "You like him, don't you?"

Amy stepped back, unsure of what to say. Yes, she liked Ian. But did she want to tell that to Natalie? Would Natalie go and tell Ian? She wasn't sure if she wanted Ian to know. Amy didn't have time for romance, not with this mystery on their hands.

She looked at Natalie and decided to trust her. "Yes." She said, her voice slightly shaky. "I do."

Natalie smiled. "I thought so."

Amy held up a hand. "But please, please, please don't tell him. If he knows I'll die."

Natalie arched an eyebrow. "You'll die?"

Amy laughed, gently swatting Natalie. "You know what I mean. Now how about that poison?"

* * *

 **eeee I'm finally updating.**

 **Unfortunately, I'll be on hiatus this summer because I have a job. Which is unfortunate because that's when I wanted to get a huge majority of my writing done for the year. But life must come first sooo**

 **And if my summer turns out like last summer, where I had major writer's block until school started again.. it wouldn't even matter**

 **Thanks to those of you are still sticking with this story... 2 years later. The fandom has changed a lot in that time, and so has this story, but I'm still working on it, and you're still reading.**

 **Thanks :DDDDDDD**

 **If you have time, I'd love a review to hear what you're thinking xD**

 **Love you all, and I'll miss you.**


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